I was still exploring the strange place I was in when I felt a tap on my back. Immediately I turned around, hoping that maybe I was just sleeping and my mother was trying to wake me up. What I saw made me believe even more that I was not longer at my house. Behind me was a woman wearing a yellow and black outfit.
“Hi,” she said in a chipper tone. I didn’t reply; I just continued to stare at her. Ignoring my perplexed expression, the woman continued to talk. “I’m the Home Appliance Regulated Protection. My job is to protect all the appliances in your home.” She stuck out her hand and I shook it cautiously. “But you can call me HARP.”
“It’s nice to meet you Harp.” I said, coming to the conclusion that the woman was not going to hurt me. “I’ve never heard of you before.”
“That’s because I haven’t been working for a while. Not since...the Virus took over Cyberspace.” She gulped nervously and I noticed her Adam’s apple bob up and down. She quickly composed herself and the friendly smile returned to her face. “I’ve never heard of you before.”
“I’m Jack.” I said as I let out a sigh. “I’m not exactly supposed to be here. I was sold a laptop by a strange man and when I got home I was sucked into it.” I crossed my arms and pursed my lips at how ridiculous my story sounded.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Said Harp in a genuine tone. She patted me on the shoulder, trying to comfort me, but it didn’t work. I was still thinking about how I was going to get home. Suddenly the whole place began to shake viciously as though something big was approaching. “Oh no!” Harp yelled before grabbing on to me. “He’s coming!”
“What!? Who’s coming?” I yelled back. The vibration on the ground- or lack thereof- were becoming more aggressive.
“The Virus!”
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Jack and the Laptop- part 3
My eyes opened abruptly to a strange whooshing sound. Something was flying above me, but I couldn’t really tell what it was. I was lying on my back, so all I could see was the strange bluish- green tinge of the sky. Was it going to rain? I thought to myself. I continued to focus on the sky, not caring of anything else around me. Little white figures were floating above me in straight lines. Some were flying to the left and others the right. Some would even form a spiral in the sky, but they always maintained a straight line. It was only when I stood up and my eyes cleared that
I realized what they really were. They were envelopes. Envelopes were flying above me. Each one of them had different names on them; e-mail for John McKenzie. I raised my shaking hands to my eyes and rubbed them viciously, wondering if this was all a dream. I then looked down and noticed that instead of standing on a solid floor, I was hovering just like the billions of letters above me. Suddenly, one of the letters separated from the line and drifted down towards me. I quickly stretched out my hand and caught it in mid air. Once it was in my hands it opened automatically and read: Hey kid. How’s the lap top working out?
I immediately knew it was the creepy man from the store. Where did her go? Where was he? Where was I? I thought about the last question for a moment and came across the only plausible answer. I was in cyber space. Where e-mails, videos and songs were sent all around the globe.
Still in disbelief about everything that was going on, I began to walk- more like fly- through cyber space. Around me were e-mails, video files and music files zooming away into the distance. If I wasn’t careful, I could end up coming out of someone else’s computer. I tried hard to remember exactly where I had appeared then continued to explore the area. It was so chaotic.
I realized what they really were. They were envelopes. Envelopes were flying above me. Each one of them had different names on them; e-mail for John McKenzie. I raised my shaking hands to my eyes and rubbed them viciously, wondering if this was all a dream. I then looked down and noticed that instead of standing on a solid floor, I was hovering just like the billions of letters above me. Suddenly, one of the letters separated from the line and drifted down towards me. I quickly stretched out my hand and caught it in mid air. Once it was in my hands it opened automatically and read: Hey kid. How’s the lap top working out?
I immediately knew it was the creepy man from the store. Where did her go? Where was he? Where was I? I thought about the last question for a moment and came across the only plausible answer. I was in cyber space. Where e-mails, videos and songs were sent all around the globe.
Still in disbelief about everything that was going on, I began to walk- more like fly- through cyber space. Around me were e-mails, video files and music files zooming away into the distance. If I wasn’t careful, I could end up coming out of someone else’s computer. I tried hard to remember exactly where I had appeared then continued to explore the area. It was so chaotic.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Jack and the Laptop- part 2
I jubilantly ran home, anticipating my mother’s excited expression when I showed her the lap top. Oh boy, was I wrong. My mother was furious. When I first arrived home she was waiting for me, an expression of relief on her weary face once she noticed the bag in my hands. I took the front steps two by two then took out the lap top, only to watch my mother’s happy expression fall immediately. After being yelled at and being called “irresponsible”, she made me go back to the store and return the lap top. Aware that my mother was extremely furious, I didn’t argue and quickly made my way back to the market. However, once I got there, the small store where I had purchased the lap top was closed down. Newspapers covered the walls and the cashier was no where to be seen.
“Great!” I mumbled to my self sarcastically as I turned around to go home. I knew that I would never be able to live this down. My mother would never trust me with money ever again. As I took my walk of shame from the kitchen to my room, I immediately slammed my door shut and tossed the lap top on my desk, not bothering to even turn it on. This would definitely be a restless night. Without a “goodnight” from my mother, I sluggishly shuffled across the hall to the washroom and brushed my teeth before changing into my pajamas and jumping into bed. Thinking about my mother’s disappointed expression when I came home with the lap top ran through my mind all night, preventing me to sleep a wink. When my eyes finally shut, I noticed a bright light coming from my desk. I shot up in my bed and my mouth fell open at the source of the magnificent light. The screen of the laptop, which was still closed, was shining brightly from across the room.
I cautiously approached it, fearing that it would explode or melt or whatever computers did when they were broken. I a swift curse escaped my tight, nervous lips as I thought about the creepy cashier. I sat down on the swiveling chair and lifted the screen, wondering if maybe I could fix the computer myself and sell it to get back the money. As soon as the light was level with my eyes, I could feel my body being aggressively pulled and tugged at.
“Great!” I mumbled to my self sarcastically as I turned around to go home. I knew that I would never be able to live this down. My mother would never trust me with money ever again. As I took my walk of shame from the kitchen to my room, I immediately slammed my door shut and tossed the lap top on my desk, not bothering to even turn it on. This would definitely be a restless night. Without a “goodnight” from my mother, I sluggishly shuffled across the hall to the washroom and brushed my teeth before changing into my pajamas and jumping into bed. Thinking about my mother’s disappointed expression when I came home with the lap top ran through my mind all night, preventing me to sleep a wink. When my eyes finally shut, I noticed a bright light coming from my desk. I shot up in my bed and my mouth fell open at the source of the magnificent light. The screen of the laptop, which was still closed, was shining brightly from across the room.
I cautiously approached it, fearing that it would explode or melt or whatever computers did when they were broken. I a swift curse escaped my tight, nervous lips as I thought about the creepy cashier. I sat down on the swiveling chair and lifted the screen, wondering if maybe I could fix the computer myself and sell it to get back the money. As soon as the light was level with my eyes, I could feel my body being aggressively pulled and tugged at.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Jack and the Laptop- part 1
“Jack, come down here!” called my mother as I sat in my room, trying to do my homework. Any excuse to drop everything was good enough for me so I quickly slammed my book shut and raced down the stairs, only to bump right into her as she waited at the bottom of the steps. She grabbed on to the banister, trying to steady herself, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a one hundred dollar bill. I could feel my mouth fall open in shock so I quickly snapped it shut and reached for the money. My mother, however, was quicker. She wrenched her hand away and a frown occupied her face. “I found this under the couch when I was vacuuming. This is a lot of money; money that could be used for groceries. What with our financial problems, it’s been a while since we had any fresh food in the fridge.” I looked over at the kitchen and cringed when I noticed the small, green refrigerator. I could have sworn it was white when we first bought it. I turned back to her with a perplexed expression.
“What exactly do you want me to do?” I asked and my mother slowly brought the bill in front of my face. Her eyes were sceptical, but she seemed to trust me enough to let it be in my presence.
“I want you to go down to the market and buy food.” She pulled out a white piece of paper from her apron and handed it to me. Scribbled on it in neat, legible writing was bananas, carrots, apples, lettuce and tomatoes. I looked at the paper, then at the money, then at her; bewilderment being my prominent emotion. I couldn’t believe she trusted me with all this money. I was a sixteen year old boy with sports and video games on my mind. She must really think I’m maturing, I thought as I took the money from her hand. “All you have to do is go to the market, get the food and try not to lose the money.” I nodded in understanding as I walked towards the door with a wide smile on my face. I heard her let out a nervous sigh, but I ignored it and made my way down the street.
I took a sharp turn on Leslie Avenue and was shocked when I noticed the dozens of fruit and vegetable stands. Each one had big, bright signs above them. I slowly walked by each one, continuously looking down at the grocery list, when I spotted a small store. I didn’t seem to sell vegetables, but it was right in the center the market so I decided to give it a look. I walked in to the soft jingle of a bell. Immediately, the cashier’s head snapped up towards me. I looked around the room at the hundreds of small trinkets and gadgets that were perched up on glass shelves. I finally stopped when I reached the front counter.
“I’m guessing you don’t sell food here.” I said and the small, skinny man behind the counter smiled a toothless grin. It sent a shiver up my spine, but I didn’t want to leave. The store intrigued me.
“Maybe you’ll be interested in something else.” He said in a hoarse voice. I looked around the room once again, doubting that I would find anything of great value until my gaze stopped at a white laptop on a shelf at the other side of the room. The man’s smile grew wider as he walked towards it and pried it off the shelf. He gently placed it on the counter in front of me. “Do you like computers?” he asked.
“I dunno. I’ve never really had one.” I said without looking away from the laptop. It was so clean and in perfect condition.
“Well, this one is different than all the rest.” The man said and my head shot up in interest. “See, this computer can take you to another world where anything and everything is possible.” I stared at him, wondering if what he was saying was just a scheme to get me to buy the laptop. His wrinkled face was dead serious. There wasn’t a hint of a smile on his features. I looked back down at the computer. A laptop would be useful, I thought, it would help us a lot. I shot a look at the grocery list in my hand then shoved it into my pocket.
“How much?” I asked with a sudden determination. The man licked his lips then looked me up and down.
“How much do you have?” I pulled out the bill and he smiled. In one swift motion he pulled it out of my hand and checked it under the light. Obviously satisfied with its authenticity, he shoved it into his pocket and handed me the laptop.
“This better work when I get home.” I said sternly and his smile faded. “If it’s broken I’m coming back here for my money.” The man pursed his lips and nodded before I walked out of the store with the laptop under my arm and a broad smile on my face.
“What exactly do you want me to do?” I asked and my mother slowly brought the bill in front of my face. Her eyes were sceptical, but she seemed to trust me enough to let it be in my presence.
“I want you to go down to the market and buy food.” She pulled out a white piece of paper from her apron and handed it to me. Scribbled on it in neat, legible writing was bananas, carrots, apples, lettuce and tomatoes. I looked at the paper, then at the money, then at her; bewilderment being my prominent emotion. I couldn’t believe she trusted me with all this money. I was a sixteen year old boy with sports and video games on my mind. She must really think I’m maturing, I thought as I took the money from her hand. “All you have to do is go to the market, get the food and try not to lose the money.” I nodded in understanding as I walked towards the door with a wide smile on my face. I heard her let out a nervous sigh, but I ignored it and made my way down the street.
I took a sharp turn on Leslie Avenue and was shocked when I noticed the dozens of fruit and vegetable stands. Each one had big, bright signs above them. I slowly walked by each one, continuously looking down at the grocery list, when I spotted a small store. I didn’t seem to sell vegetables, but it was right in the center the market so I decided to give it a look. I walked in to the soft jingle of a bell. Immediately, the cashier’s head snapped up towards me. I looked around the room at the hundreds of small trinkets and gadgets that were perched up on glass shelves. I finally stopped when I reached the front counter.
“I’m guessing you don’t sell food here.” I said and the small, skinny man behind the counter smiled a toothless grin. It sent a shiver up my spine, but I didn’t want to leave. The store intrigued me.
“Maybe you’ll be interested in something else.” He said in a hoarse voice. I looked around the room once again, doubting that I would find anything of great value until my gaze stopped at a white laptop on a shelf at the other side of the room. The man’s smile grew wider as he walked towards it and pried it off the shelf. He gently placed it on the counter in front of me. “Do you like computers?” he asked.
“I dunno. I’ve never really had one.” I said without looking away from the laptop. It was so clean and in perfect condition.
“Well, this one is different than all the rest.” The man said and my head shot up in interest. “See, this computer can take you to another world where anything and everything is possible.” I stared at him, wondering if what he was saying was just a scheme to get me to buy the laptop. His wrinkled face was dead serious. There wasn’t a hint of a smile on his features. I looked back down at the computer. A laptop would be useful, I thought, it would help us a lot. I shot a look at the grocery list in my hand then shoved it into my pocket.
“How much?” I asked with a sudden determination. The man licked his lips then looked me up and down.
“How much do you have?” I pulled out the bill and he smiled. In one swift motion he pulled it out of my hand and checked it under the light. Obviously satisfied with its authenticity, he shoved it into his pocket and handed me the laptop.
“This better work when I get home.” I said sternly and his smile faded. “If it’s broken I’m coming back here for my money.” The man pursed his lips and nodded before I walked out of the store with the laptop under my arm and a broad smile on my face.
Friday, May 8, 2009
"Breathe" lyrics
Age 15+
This is an original piece that I wrote about a year ago. It's not exactly done yet. The purpose of this piece is to show that song writers don't only have to write from what they know or experience. Music is able to take many different forms whether it is in first person or in the representation of someone else.
{Verse}
I finally found a way and I’m never letting go
I found something to believe and a heart of shining gold
If you follow me out I know I’ll have someone to hold
{Hook}
And I’ll hold you close to my heart
For now and if ever apart
{Chorus}
Breathe into the night
Just breathe as he holds you tight
When the clock strikes 12 in the middle of the night
Just breathe... ‘til the morning light
Feeling like I do on any other day
Wont’ be the same, I’m sorry if I’m standing in your way
Now I know I have a reason to tell you what I want to say
And I’ll hold you close to my heart
For now and if ever apart
Breathe into the night
And just breathe as he holds you tight
When the clock strikes 12 in the middle of the night
Just breathe... ‘til the morning light
This is an original piece that I wrote about a year ago. It's not exactly done yet. The purpose of this piece is to show that song writers don't only have to write from what they know or experience. Music is able to take many different forms whether it is in first person or in the representation of someone else.
{Verse}
I finally found a way and I’m never letting go
I found something to believe and a heart of shining gold
If you follow me out I know I’ll have someone to hold
{Hook}
And I’ll hold you close to my heart
For now and if ever apart
{Chorus}
Breathe into the night
Just breathe as he holds you tight
When the clock strikes 12 in the middle of the night
Just breathe... ‘til the morning light
Feeling like I do on any other day
Wont’ be the same, I’m sorry if I’m standing in your way
Now I know I have a reason to tell you what I want to say
And I’ll hold you close to my heart
For now and if ever apart
Breathe into the night
And just breathe as he holds you tight
When the clock strikes 12 in the middle of the night
Just breathe... ‘til the morning light
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
"Build God, Then We'll Talk" by Panic! At The Disco- Review/ Analysis
Ages 15+
The purpose of this piece is to analyze and review an intricately written song and reveal it's true meaning. I also want to show that not all alternative bands are just about sex, drugs and rock and roll.
Panic! At The Disco is known for being a band that puts a lot of thought into their lyrics. That’s an understatement. What many fail to realise is the underlying theme of each one of their songs. In their first album, titled “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out”, the three hits “Lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes off”, “But it’s better if you do”, and “I write sins not tragedies” are all interconnected with each other creating a story. This is obvious by how the last few notes in “But it’s better if you do” seem to lead into the beginning of “I write sins not tragedies”. However, the song I will be focusing on and analysing is “Build God, then we’ll talk”, which has a deep meaning when broken into parts (if you haven’t read the lyrics or heard the song I greatly advise it).
One of the main themes in Panic! At The Disco’s songs is religion, but their lyrics are so ambiguous that it is difficult to distinguish the messages that they send. It is clear, however, that the song is about adultery.
It's these substandard motels on the (lalalalala) corner of 4th and Fremont Street. Appealing only because they are just that unappealing
Any practiced catholic would cross themselves upon entering. The rooms have a hint of asbestos and maybe just a dash of formaldehyde,
And the habit of decomposing right before your very (lalalala) eyes.
You can tell from the first verse that they are describing a series of motels, below normal standard, that are a sight for unethical things. This gives a good opening to the “story” in the song by not only describing the setting, but by illustrating how completely horrible the place is, ultimately making the reader/ listener wonder what exactly makes the motels so horrible.
Along with the people inside
What a wonderful caricature of intimacy
Inside, what a wonderful caricature of intimacy
Tonight tenants range from: a lawyer and a virgin
Accessorizing with a rosary tucked inside her lingerie
She's getting a job at the firm come Monday.The Mrs. will stay with the cheating attorney moonlighting aside, she really needs his money.
Oh, wonderful caricature of intimacy.
The chorus and second verse only aid in the understanding that this song is, in fact, about an adulterous lawyer and a virgin, who was most likely convinced by her boss that she has to sleep around to get ahead in life. However, she is still staying true to God as you can see from the line “accessorizing with the rosary tucked inside her lingerie”. When they say, “A wonderful caricature of intimacy”, they are describing how cheating is contradicting or distorting the true image of intimacy. Intimacy is something that should happen between two people that actually love each other and by the lawyer cheating on his wife he is making the image of intimacy humorous like a caricature would make an image of a normal person humorous.
And not to mention, the constable, and his proposition, for that "virgin"
Yes, the one the lawyer met with on "strictly business"as he said to the Mrs.,
only hours before,after he had left, she was fixing her face in a compact.
There was a terrible crash (There was a terrible crash)
Between her and the badge
She spilled her purse and her bag, and held a "purse" of a different kind.
This verse is a little more difficult to analyse. There is speculation that it means the police raided the hotel room after the virgin was finished with the lawyer, who told his wife he was out on business. The “’purse’ of a different kind” refers to a baby in her womb. Other suggestions are that the virgin sleeps with the officer to avoid being arrested. This is probably the most complicated and ambiguously written verse in the entire song.
There are no...
Raindrops on roses and the girls in white dresses
And sleeping with the roaches and taking best guesses
At the shade of the sheets and before all the stains
And a few more of your least favourite things.
So, in the final verse of the song, Panic! At The Disco is clearly expressing their idea that virtue no longer exists in the overexposed world we live in. “Sleeping with roaches” refers to the virgin sleeping with unworthy men and the “stains” are the stains of regret and remorse. All in all, I think this song shows a lot about our society, but is written in a way that doesn’t just spell the meaning out for us. It requires the reader/listener to think, which is something not many musicians imply with their music.
The purpose of this piece is to analyze and review an intricately written song and reveal it's true meaning. I also want to show that not all alternative bands are just about sex, drugs and rock and roll.
Panic! At The Disco is known for being a band that puts a lot of thought into their lyrics. That’s an understatement. What many fail to realise is the underlying theme of each one of their songs. In their first album, titled “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out”, the three hits “Lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes off”, “But it’s better if you do”, and “I write sins not tragedies” are all interconnected with each other creating a story. This is obvious by how the last few notes in “But it’s better if you do” seem to lead into the beginning of “I write sins not tragedies”. However, the song I will be focusing on and analysing is “Build God, then we’ll talk”, which has a deep meaning when broken into parts (if you haven’t read the lyrics or heard the song I greatly advise it).
One of the main themes in Panic! At The Disco’s songs is religion, but their lyrics are so ambiguous that it is difficult to distinguish the messages that they send. It is clear, however, that the song is about adultery.
It's these substandard motels on the (lalalalala) corner of 4th and Fremont Street. Appealing only because they are just that unappealing
Any practiced catholic would cross themselves upon entering. The rooms have a hint of asbestos and maybe just a dash of formaldehyde,
And the habit of decomposing right before your very (lalalala) eyes.
You can tell from the first verse that they are describing a series of motels, below normal standard, that are a sight for unethical things. This gives a good opening to the “story” in the song by not only describing the setting, but by illustrating how completely horrible the place is, ultimately making the reader/ listener wonder what exactly makes the motels so horrible.
Along with the people inside
What a wonderful caricature of intimacy
Inside, what a wonderful caricature of intimacy
Tonight tenants range from: a lawyer and a virgin
Accessorizing with a rosary tucked inside her lingerie
She's getting a job at the firm come Monday.The Mrs. will stay with the cheating attorney moonlighting aside, she really needs his money.
Oh, wonderful caricature of intimacy.
The chorus and second verse only aid in the understanding that this song is, in fact, about an adulterous lawyer and a virgin, who was most likely convinced by her boss that she has to sleep around to get ahead in life. However, she is still staying true to God as you can see from the line “accessorizing with the rosary tucked inside her lingerie”. When they say, “A wonderful caricature of intimacy”, they are describing how cheating is contradicting or distorting the true image of intimacy. Intimacy is something that should happen between two people that actually love each other and by the lawyer cheating on his wife he is making the image of intimacy humorous like a caricature would make an image of a normal person humorous.
And not to mention, the constable, and his proposition, for that "virgin"
Yes, the one the lawyer met with on "strictly business"as he said to the Mrs.,
only hours before,after he had left, she was fixing her face in a compact.
There was a terrible crash (There was a terrible crash)
Between her and the badge
She spilled her purse and her bag, and held a "purse" of a different kind.
This verse is a little more difficult to analyse. There is speculation that it means the police raided the hotel room after the virgin was finished with the lawyer, who told his wife he was out on business. The “’purse’ of a different kind” refers to a baby in her womb. Other suggestions are that the virgin sleeps with the officer to avoid being arrested. This is probably the most complicated and ambiguously written verse in the entire song.
There are no...
Raindrops on roses and the girls in white dresses
And sleeping with the roaches and taking best guesses
At the shade of the sheets and before all the stains
And a few more of your least favourite things.
So, in the final verse of the song, Panic! At The Disco is clearly expressing their idea that virtue no longer exists in the overexposed world we live in. “Sleeping with roaches” refers to the virgin sleeping with unworthy men and the “stains” are the stains of regret and remorse. All in all, I think this song shows a lot about our society, but is written in a way that doesn’t just spell the meaning out for us. It requires the reader/listener to think, which is something not many musicians imply with their music.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
The Escape
Ages 15-19
The purpose of this piece is to show the difficulty that some teenagers have to face in everyday life.
Noah raised his finger to the bottom of his piercing blue eye and wiped away the single tear that had managed to stream down his perfectly sculpted cheek. His right arm, still in unbearable pain from the attack, clung to the side of his body and wrapped itself around his torso. The less motion the better, he thought. Another tear slowly fell down his face as images of his father’s hand colliding with his body entered his mind. The only thing Noah was happy about at this moment was that his father wasn’t there to see him; to see how weak and fragile his seventeen year old son was.
It had been an hour since the fight and he could still hear the faint echoes of his mother and little sister’s screams as he increased his pace. The magnificent lights of downtown were something he didn’t want to see, not when he felt like crawling under a rock and spending the rest of his life as a hermit. His seventeen years of sheer torture had proved his theory correct that people were worthless. He would much rather spend his life alone, fending for himself and being in control. His only regret was leaving his sister behind, but he knew she would be safe. They had always liked her more anyway. He flexed his right arm only to feel pain envelope him.
Noah looked from side to side at the countless people lying on the pavement. Each one of them perking up in excitement when he passed, hoping for some change. He had nothing to offer. The pockets of his jeans had been empty for the past two years with the help of his father’s controlling ways. Maybe he thought Noah would do exactly what he was doing now; run away. God forbid his father didn’t have someone to boss around and use as a punching bag when the liquor cabinet was empty. Noah ran a shaky hand through his dishevelled dark brown hair only to feel the formation of a bump on his skull from when he was tossed against the wall.
The lights seemed to be growing brighter as he continued into the depths of downtown Toronto. Passing police cruisers and car alarms made him more alert that he was abandoning the safety of his home- if it was considered safety- and entering the real world. The world where people died from hunger and prostitutes sold their bodies for money, just to earn enough for shelter. Where underground deals were made between drug dealers and kids like him had nowhere to go except try and survive in a cardboard box near a dumpster. But he didn’t care. In his mind, anywhere was better than his previous home. Just then, a building caught his eye. This building was different than the others; it didn’t have luminescent signs on the roof or posters plastered on the sides. He slowed to a stop, making the cold wind around him more noticeable as it bounced off his porcelain skin. He placed a hand on the brick wall to keep a steady position then looked up at the sign which read: Covenant House. Inside were kids his age, all looking happy; and emotion he hadn’t felt in a long time.
He reached out to grab the handle, but stopped before he could open the door. Doubt and disbelief rushed through him in a wave of emotion. This was too good to be true, he thought. What if this wasn’t the place for him? Then he would surely be set up with some sort of foster agency. That wasn’t what he wanted. He pondered the decision for a moment; weighing the pros and cons. Finally, he tightened his grip on the metal handle and pulled open the door. The heat of the building immediately warmed him as he stepped inside, ready to begin a new chapter in his life.
The purpose of this piece is to show the difficulty that some teenagers have to face in everyday life.
Noah raised his finger to the bottom of his piercing blue eye and wiped away the single tear that had managed to stream down his perfectly sculpted cheek. His right arm, still in unbearable pain from the attack, clung to the side of his body and wrapped itself around his torso. The less motion the better, he thought. Another tear slowly fell down his face as images of his father’s hand colliding with his body entered his mind. The only thing Noah was happy about at this moment was that his father wasn’t there to see him; to see how weak and fragile his seventeen year old son was.
It had been an hour since the fight and he could still hear the faint echoes of his mother and little sister’s screams as he increased his pace. The magnificent lights of downtown were something he didn’t want to see, not when he felt like crawling under a rock and spending the rest of his life as a hermit. His seventeen years of sheer torture had proved his theory correct that people were worthless. He would much rather spend his life alone, fending for himself and being in control. His only regret was leaving his sister behind, but he knew she would be safe. They had always liked her more anyway. He flexed his right arm only to feel pain envelope him.
Noah looked from side to side at the countless people lying on the pavement. Each one of them perking up in excitement when he passed, hoping for some change. He had nothing to offer. The pockets of his jeans had been empty for the past two years with the help of his father’s controlling ways. Maybe he thought Noah would do exactly what he was doing now; run away. God forbid his father didn’t have someone to boss around and use as a punching bag when the liquor cabinet was empty. Noah ran a shaky hand through his dishevelled dark brown hair only to feel the formation of a bump on his skull from when he was tossed against the wall.
The lights seemed to be growing brighter as he continued into the depths of downtown Toronto. Passing police cruisers and car alarms made him more alert that he was abandoning the safety of his home- if it was considered safety- and entering the real world. The world where people died from hunger and prostitutes sold their bodies for money, just to earn enough for shelter. Where underground deals were made between drug dealers and kids like him had nowhere to go except try and survive in a cardboard box near a dumpster. But he didn’t care. In his mind, anywhere was better than his previous home. Just then, a building caught his eye. This building was different than the others; it didn’t have luminescent signs on the roof or posters plastered on the sides. He slowed to a stop, making the cold wind around him more noticeable as it bounced off his porcelain skin. He placed a hand on the brick wall to keep a steady position then looked up at the sign which read: Covenant House. Inside were kids his age, all looking happy; and emotion he hadn’t felt in a long time.
He reached out to grab the handle, but stopped before he could open the door. Doubt and disbelief rushed through him in a wave of emotion. This was too good to be true, he thought. What if this wasn’t the place for him? Then he would surely be set up with some sort of foster agency. That wasn’t what he wanted. He pondered the decision for a moment; weighing the pros and cons. Finally, he tightened his grip on the metal handle and pulled open the door. The heat of the building immediately warmed him as he stepped inside, ready to begin a new chapter in his life.
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