Annael

Unfortunately, I didn't have a choice on the ending. I had to use the suggestions of the class, and that's what they said to do. I had to have her die. I wasn't saying that there weren't good things done with the editing, I was just saying that it's easy for your idea to turn into something completely different when other people start to give their impressions on it. "If you do this, it would make it better..." that sort of deal. Honestly, I had no intention of her dying. I wanted to show the triumphs of humanity. The ideas on "how to make it better" ruined my whole story. hehe. I still remember my professor asking the class, "what the hell were you guys thinking?" My story wasn't the only one that was ruined. One guy refused to finish the assignment. He said that he would rather fail then have a bunch of "ignorant fools ruin my work!" Ahh...the dramatics of writers. Always fun

And here's the 4th draft and the influence of cracked out, sleep deprived college students. Man in the Clouds (Draft 4) Jessica lay in her hospital bed, looking through the window at the clouds outside. She could see a bunny hopping over a hedge. The beep of the heart machine was the only sound in the room. The silence eerie in that weird hospital way. When Lucas opened the door, she couldn’t help but remember back to how they became friends. Pulling the sleeves of her black turtleneck down over her frail wrists, she turned her head from the window. Shaking her head to make herself stop day dreaming, she tried pay attention to her Philosophy class. It was one of the few classes in high school that interested her. The professor, Mr. Nichols, noticed the movement of her head, and asked her what she thought. “What did Nietzsche mean when he said, ‘God is dead’?” Mr. Nichols asked her. “Nietzsche just meant the God no longer played such a major role in the lives of people and that no one was to blame for that but ourselves.” “Good, good. But I see that there is still some confusion on the faces of your classmates. Perhaps you could explain it more to us?” “Well, Nietzsche claimed that he was the first to have “discovered” the death of God. He meant that the idea of God has lost its full creative force, its full power. Science and technology are usurping God’s place in people’s lives. Nietzsche prophesied that we will discover that we no longer have ultimate faith in God; our true faith is in scientific and technological progress.” “Exactly. Well done Jessica. Now, does everyone understand? Good. Okay, for your homework…” Jessica tuned out the teacher’s voice and packed up her bag. She walked out of the class while the rest of the students milled about talking to each other. The hallways were empty since classes weren’t quite done. Walking quickly to avoid the rush, she left the school and stopped beside a large oak tree in the courtyard. Her black turtleneck made the heat from the sun even hotter. She tilted her head back, and let sun beat warmly down on her face. Jessica straightened when she heard voices coming towards her. “Guys, hold on a sec. I want to ask Jessica something.” A male voice drew her attention, and she saw that it was Lucas, from Philosophy class. He was not someone who would usually want to talk to her. He was captain of the football team and school council president. “Hi, Jessie. Do you mind if I call you Jessie?” Unusually for Lucas, he seemed nervous. “No one calls me Jessie, but I don’t see a problem with you doing it.” “Good…umm, I was wondering if you could help me out. I’m not doing very well in Philosophy and Professor Nichols said that if I don’t get my grade up, I’ll be kicked off the football team.” “Let me guess. You want me to help you out, right? I’ll tell you right now, I’m not going to do your homework.” “No, no, that’s not it. I want you to tutor me. I’ll pay you.” Lucas put his hands in his pockets and hunched his shoulders. “Why do you want my help?” “When you talk in class, which isn’t very often, you usually have something interesting to say.” “You want my help because you think I’m interesting?” “No, I want your help because you know what you’re talking about. There’s something going on behind that quiet mind of yours and I want you to share it with me.” “What are your friends going to say with you hanging out with ‘The Freak’?” “Some of the kids call you that because you just seem different from everyone else. You’re aloof. And I don’t care what they say, there still stuck in elementary school.” “Okay, I’ll help you. What?” Jessica laughed at the look on his face. “Did you think that I was going to say no?” “Well, yeah, actually. You don’t seem like a very social person and I figured that you wouldn’t want to spend time with the most popular guy in school,” Lucas said with a wink to show he was joking. “Come on, I’ll drive you home and we can work out when the best time to start studying is.” With a small laugh, Jessica followed him to his car. Over time, Jessica helped Lucas with his schoolwork and he helped her make friends in school and how to have fun. Going out for a drink and to the movies with a group of people became a regular thing. Jessica confided in Lucas about her cancer. She didn’t do it because she wanted to, but because he heard an argument that she was having with her mother one night when they were going out “Jess, you know what the doctor said. He wants you to take it easy. I don’t like you going out with Lucas until all hours of the morning!” Jessica’s mother yelled from the top of the stairs. “I don’t care what the doctors say. I’m going,” Jessica said as she closed the door. When Lucas questioned her about it on the way to his house, she told him that she was sick and asked that he keep it quiet. “Sure, I’ll keep your secret, Jessie. Why don’t you tell any of our friends though?” “If it’s my time to go, then it’s my time. I might seem selfish, but I don’t want to put myself through the pain and all the rest when I don’t really have a reason to fight.” “Well, I know that you’re not on chemo or anything. Are you on a different kind of medication?” “No. I don’t want to take anything.” “Jessie...” Holding up a hand, Jessica cut him off. “Just leave it alone Luc. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” Lucas shook his head and drove the rest of the way in silence. Lucas started coddling her. If it was cold out he made sure that she was wearing a warm jacket and clothes even though it was spring. If she sneezed or coughed he would question her about how she was feeling, making their other friends start to wonder just what was wrong with Jessica. One day, he went too far. “Jessie, I don’t think that you should go to Doug’s party tonight. I don’t like the sound of that cough.” Lucas cautioned as they finished studying for their final exam in a few days. “What? You didn’t just say something that my mother would say, did you?” “Well, yeah, I guess I did. Listen Jessie-” “No, Lucas. I’m going.” Lucas stared at Jessica, his blue eyes mirroring his concern. He reached out his hand and brushed her pale hair away from her check and tucked the strands behind her ear. He felt that her face was hot, and knew that he was right. She was sick. Lucas drove a happy Jessica home from the party, promising that he would pick her up the next morning, as was their routine. The only problem was that Jessica wasn’t there. Jessica blinked to clear her eyes and Lucas came back into focus, standing in the door of her hospital room. “What’s that you got there? He looks like James Dean or something.” Lucas was carrying a teddy bear. It had on a leather jacket, a red bandana and a pair of sunglasses. “Well, I saw it and thought about how great he would look next to the stereo, so I picked him up. Besides, he can keep you company while I’m at the my football games.” “It’s the playoffs, right?” “Yup. You’ve got two weeks before we get to the championship game. So, you better get well enough to come with me.” “I don’t know, Lucas.” “Hey, we can do it together. Oh yeah, Professor Nichols asked me to give this to you.” Lucas handed Jessica an envelope with her name typed on the front. Taking the envelope, she opened it and read the letter inside. ‘Miss Reynolds, you have been official requested to act as valedictorian during this year’s graduation ceremony.’ How did I get chosen for this?” “I don’t know how you missed it. We did the vote during school two weeks ago. You’ve made a lot of new friends since you started helping me. Actually, pretty much everyone in school knows who you are and your academic records are all most perfect. You basically won as soon as your name was listed on the ballot.” “But Lucas, graduation is in what, two-weeks?” “Yup, same day as the championship game. So, you’re going to be pulling double duty that day. You’ve gotta come to my game and cheer me on then go and give the speech a few hours later. Of course, you’ve gotta come to the dance with me. Julia called me and told me that she decided to go with her ex-boyfriend. You know, if the most popular guy in the school were to go to the graduation dance by himself, he wouldn’t look very popular now, would he?” Lucas winked as Jessica laughed. “Well then, the most popular guy in the school is going to have a bald date!” They both laughed and starting to argue about what they were going to watch on TV that night. The two weeks until the big day dragged by. Lucas couldn’t go and see Jessica that often because he had to practice for the game, but he called her every day, sometimes twice a day just to make sure things were going alright. Jessica went for her chemo appointments and worked with her psychotherapist every day so that she would be strong enough to last the whole day of graduation. The doctors told Jessica that she was doing remarkably well and that she could go home. Lucas gave a whoop, picked her up, and spun around when he heard. “Now I know that we’re going to win the game tomorrow!” Lucas was right and they won the game. When it was time for Jessica to give the valedictorian speech, Lucas was sitting in the front row, smiling up at her in encouragement. Jessica took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. She could swear that there was a man in the clouds, looking down at her. “In Philosophy class we learned that Nietzsche said that God is dead. I disagree. I think that God is very much alive and active in our every day lives…” Jessica’s voice trailed off as her world went black, and the ground rushed to meet her on her way down.

Okay, after the encouraging words of Aardvark, "Post the bloody story. Then post the corruption," I've decided to do just that. This is a story that I had to write as a final assignment for my English class in college. The first one is my original story. And by god, I like it! hehe The second one is the same story, just 4 drafts later. Each draft was given to each student and they made suggestions for the revisions. I remember one of my classmates wanting me to make Jessie an alien....but meh. So here we go. And yes Wyv, I do write. Did I tell you about my children's book???? As me later. Here we go. Man in the Clouds Jessica sat in her seat at the back of her college class. From this position, she could clearly see through the window. Jessica didn’t know what to do with her life. Just yesterday, the doctors had told her that they didn’t know if she would last for another six months. On the other hand, it could be another sixteen years before she gave up the struggle with her cancer. Jessica had refused chemotherapy, deciding that it was up to God to choose when her time to leave the world was. Leaning forward in her chair, she stared out the window. The clouds fascinated her. As a child, she would lay on the grass in her backyard and stare at the sky for hours. Sometimes she still did. Today, she could see bunnies hoping over a low hedge, and an eagle floating through the sky. Sighing, she turned her attention to the front of the class. Philosophy was one of her favourite classes, but she could tell the other students thought that she was weird. She hadn’t told many people that she was dying, and to those who didn’t know, her casual acceptance of life and death seemed from ignorance. Usually the teachers would leave her alone. As long as she did her work and everything was handed in on time, they wouldn’t call on her to speak in class. This worked fine for Jessica. Naturally shy, she didn’t enjoy speaking in front of a group of people, even if it was from the back of the class. Her reluctance to speak in class added to the rumors that circulated about her. She did nothing to stop them either. What did she care if they called her a freak, or made fun of her? Pulling the sleeves of her black turtleneck down over her frail wrists, she propped her elbows on her desk and shook her head. The professor, Mr. Nicholas noticed the movement of her head, and asked her what she thought. “What did Nietzsche mean when he said, “God is dead,”?” “Nietzsche just meant the God no longer played such a major role in the lives of people and that no one was to blame for that but ourselves.” “Good, good. But I see that there is still some confusion on the faces of your classmates. Perhaps you could explain it more to us.” “Well, Nietzsche claimed that he was the first to have “discovered” the death of God. He meant that the idea of God has lost its full creative force, its full power. Science and technology are usurping God’s place in people’s lives. Nietzsche prophesied that we will discover that we no longer have ultimate faith in God; our true faith is in scientific and technological progress.” “Exactly. Well done Jessica. Now, does everyone understand? Good. Okay, for your homework…” Jessica tuned out the teacher’s voice and packed up her bag. She walked out of the class while he was still talking, slowly closing the door behind her. The hallways were empty since classes weren’t quite done. Walking quickly to avoid the rush, she left the college and stopped. Her black turtleneck made the heat from the sun even hotter. She let her head fall back, and just let the sun beat down on her face. Jessica straightened when she heard voices coming towards her. “Guys, hold on a sec. I want to ask Jessica something.” A male voice drew her attention, and she saw that it was Lucas, who was in her Philosophy class. He was captain of the football team and school council president. He was not someone that would usually want to talk to her. “Hi, Jessie. Do you mind if I call you Jessie?” Unusual for Lucas, he seemed nervous. “No one calls me Jessie, but I don’t see a problem with you doing it.” “Good…umm, I was wondering if you could help me out. I’m not doing very well in Philosophy and Professor Nichols said that if I don’t get my grade up, I’ll be kicked off the football team.” “Let me guess, you want me to help you out, right? I’ll tell you right now, I’m not going to do your homework.” “No, no, that’s not it. I want you to tutor me. I’ll pay you.” Lucas put his hands in his pockets and hunched his shoulders. “Okay, I’ll help you. What?” Jessica laughed at the look on his face. “Did you think that I was going to say no?” “Well, yeah, actually. You don’t seem like a very social person and I figured that you wouldn’t want to spend time with the most popular guy in school.” Lucas smiled and showed his dimple. “Come on, I’ll drive you home and we can work out when a good time is.” Jessica looked at Lucas, and shook her head. With a small laugh, she followed him to his car. The months passed by and Lucas and Jessica became good friends. She helped him with his schoolwork and he helped her enjoy life. Jessica refused taking money from him because she found that he made her laugh, something that she didn’t do very often. Jessica confided in Lucas about her cancer. She didn’t do it because she wanted to, but because he heard an argument that she was having with her mother. When he questioned her about it, she told him that she was dying. “I have terminal cancer. The doctors aren’t very sure how long I’ll last. I would prefer that you not tell anyone at school. Only the teachers and a few of my friends know.” “Sure, I’ll keep your secret, Jessie. Why aren’t you taking chemo or anything?” “If it’s my time to go, then it’s my time. I might seem selfish, but I don’t want to put myself through the pain and all the rest when I don’t really have a reason to fight.” “I know what you mean. My father has cancer and he is going for chemo. The doctors told him that he only had a few months and it’s been five years. He has a reason to fight though, our family. Besides, you’re looking good without the treatments.” “Why thank-you.” Jessica and Lucas shared a laugh, and they went back to studying for their final exam. Lucas drove Jessica home from his house after they were done studying, promising that he would pick her up the next morning, as was their routine. They had gotten into the habit of driving to school together in the morning. When Lucas arrived at Jessica’s house, she didn’t come out the door with a smile as usual. She didn’t come out the door at all. Concerned, Lucas got out of his car and rang the doorbell. Jessica’s younger sister, Michelle told Lucas that Jessica had been brought to the hospital late in the night. She was having problems breathing. After getting Jessica’s room information, Lucas rushed to the hospital. Lucas found Jessica’s room with little difficulty, and stopped inside the door of her room. Jessica was lying in bed staring through the window at the clouds. She had tubes coming out her nose and arms. The only sound in the room was that of various machines beeping. “Jessie?” Lucas asked softly as he walked into her room. Turning her head, Jessica smiled when she saw him. “What are you doing here? You’re missing the exam?” “Where else would I be except with my good luck charm?” Lucas asked as he pulled a chair from the corner of the room up next to her bed. “What? You don’t need me there for you to take the test. You’ll do fine by yourself. If you leave now, you’ll be able to make it in time.” “Jessie, stop it. I’m not going. I’m staying here with you.” “But…” “No buts. This is where I want to be. Besides, I called Professor Nichols and told him what happened. He said that we can make it up when you’re feeling better.” “If I feel better. The doctors told me that they don’t think that I’ll last much longer.” “Don’t listen to them. You’ll get better. You have to.” Jessica smiled, and turned her head to look through the window again. Lucas held her hand and watched the clouds with her. In the next few weeks, Jessica’s hospital room no longer looked like a hospital room. Lucas had brought his stereo system from home and set it up so that Jessica could listen to her favourite music. Posters of rock-groups plastered the wall and a picture of Lucas and Jessica together sat on the table next to her bed. The nurses smiled when they saw Lucas walking down the hall carrying a large stuffed bear. It was wearing a leather jacket, a bandana and sunglasses. “How is she today?” Lucas asked when he saw the head nurse, Susan. “Doing much better. I’m glad that you managed to convince her to start chemo. Her hair has started to fall out, but she just laughs. You’re good for her, you know. She calls you her guardian angel.” “Then we’re on equal ground. She’s my good luck charm.” Lucas said good bye to Susan and went to see Jessica. “What’s that you got there? He looks like James Dean or something.” Jessica said when she saw the bear. “Well, I saw it and thought about how great he would look next to the stereo, so I picked him up. Besides, he can keep you company while I’m at the my football games.” “It’s the playoffs, right?” “Yup. You’ve got two weeks before we get to the championship game. So, you better get well enough to come with me.” “I don’t know, Lucas. Two weeks isn’t very long.” “I know, but we can do it together. Oh yeah, Professor Nichols asked me to give this to you.” Lucas handed Jessica an envelope with her name typed on the front. Taking the envelope, she opened it and read the letter inside. “Miss Reynolds, you have been official requested to act as valedictorian during this year’s graduation ceremony. How did I get chosen for this?” “Well, we did the vote during school two weeks ago. You’ve made a lot of new friends since you started helping me. Actually, pretty much everyone in school knows who you are and your academic records are all most perfect, you basically won as soon as your name was listed on the ballot.” “But Lucas, graduation is in what, two-weeks?” “Yup, same day as the championship game. So, you’re going to be pulling double duty that day. You’ve gotta come to my game and cheer me on then go and give the speech a few hours later. Of course, you’ve gotta come to the dance with me. Julia called me and told me that she decided to go with her ex-boyfriend. You know, if the most popular guy in the school were to go to the graduation dance by himself, he wouldn’t look very popular know, would he?” “Well then, the most popular guy in the school is going to have a bald date!” Jessica and Lucas laughed and starting to argue about what they were going to watch on TV that night. The two weeks until the big football game and graduation flew by. Lucas couldn’t go and see Jessica that often because he had to practice for the game, but he called her every day, sometimes twice a day just to make sure things were going alright. Jessica went for her chemo appointments and worked with her psychotherapist everyday so that she would be strong enough to last the whole day. The doctors told Jessica that she was doing remarkably well and that she could go home. Jessica told Lucas that she could go home. He gave a whoop, picked her up, and spun around. “Now I know that we’re going to win the game tomorrow! This is the best news.” Lucas was right. They did win the game the next day, and Jessica was on the sidelines cheering him on. When it was time for Jessica to give the valedictorian speech, Lucas was sitting in the front row, smiling up at her in encouragement. Jessica looked around at the crowd sitting on the very field that Lucas threw the winning touchdown on to win the football game. The sun shone brightly and birds flew chirping overhead. Jessica took a deep breath and steadied herself for the speech. “In Philosophy class we learned that Nietzsche said that God is dead. I disagree. I think that God is very much alive and active in our every day lives. As most of you probably know, I’ve got cancer. I’ve been in the hospital for the past three weeks. Throughout the whole time I was in there, my best friend was with me every day. When he found out that he couldn’t be there, he brought me a teddy bear so that I wouldn’t be lonely. It’s because of him that I’m standing here before you right now. Before I met Lucas, I didn’t care whether I lived or died. Now I want to live. Lucas taught me that I have a reason to live for. My family, my friends, myself, and to make sure that the most popular guy in school has a date to the dance. I think that God knew that I needed help to deal with my problems, and He arranged for me to have Lucas as my friend. We’ve finished school and are going on to different things. Hopefully each one of you will get a successful job in your chosen field, and will have a rich and rewarding life. But when things get to difficult for you to deal with by yourself, look at your friends and say thank-you to God. He’s given you the most precious gift you’ll ever get, and if you lose these gifts, you’ll be worst off then I ever was.” As Jessica smiled and stepped back from the microphone, everyone clapped and cheered. Friends were hugging each other and crying. Lucas walked up onto stage and smiled. “I told you that you could do it.” Lucas whispered as he hugged her. Smiling, Jessica hugged Lucas in return. As she looked over his shoulder, she could swear that there was a man in the clouds, smiling down at them.

Annael smiles and flutters her wings as she hugs all the recipients. "Congratulations. Happy writings!"

Annael sat up on her tree branch with a gasp, her butterflies fluttering around warily. "What was that all about?" Annael said, then took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. Annael shook her head, the dream still strong in her mind. Never had she any intention of harming Salinye. And of course, Gyr and Daryl wouldn't either. Tamaranis, well, he was a different story. A story that she hadn't even begun to read yet. With a sigh, Annael hopped lightly out of her tree. She was going to talk to Gyr to see if he had had the same odd dream. There were powers at work in the dream that she knew weren't natural. Shaking her skirts down, she lifted the hem of trailing skirts and started to walk towards the manor, her bare feet not making a sound on the damp grass. Stopping at the door of the manor, Annael let her skirts drift down around her bare feet and gave her wings a little shake. With a start, she looked down to watch two black feathers dift to rest softly on the cobble stones at her feet. She have to get Gyr to work his magic on her feathers again. She couldn't afford to continue to lose her feathers. "And two more are gone. At this rate, I won't have wings left come the winter. Then what will happen to me?" Annael sighed softly, then pushed the door to the manor open. "Just breathe. These are your friends..." and Annael walked into the brightly lit manor.

hehe, cute

*shrugs* writing is one's art. And art cannot be graded or judge. Think what you will. Look at all the abstract artists of the world. There's no form to their work. And yet it is some of the most influencial and noticable art there is. So the next time someone writes a piece of work that doesn't flow, or colours outside the line, you guys jump on them and tell them that their work isn't right.

The whole idea with free form is that it doesn't have to flow, Archaneus. Also, POETRY doesn't HAVE to flow. Or rhyme or have reason. Poetry is an expression of thought and feelings. There is no right or wrong with poetry.

here's a little free form, cause hey, it's what i do best Have you ever noticed how easy it is to take the advice of other people to let them tell you what you should and shouldn't do. But what makes them so much better then you that you should take their advice? Do they have a degree on life that you don't have? Did they go through so many trials and tribulations that they know all the right answers? Hardly. What they have is a mightier-then-thou complex. They think that they're God. From every little thing about your life they have to comment. I don't like your hair that way You're fat Get a job What do you need that car for? You'll just kill yourself. And on and on it goes. There is nothing that they won't comment on, tell you what to do and when and how and why. They just are. And what are they? Quiet simply, they're family. And deep down inside, you want them to tell you what to do. No matter how much you tell them to mind their own business and to leave you alone. Once they are gone, you will wish that they were still there, dodging your steps with their heavy handed attitudes and endless supply of suggestions. They're family. And so you love them.

I agree that sympathy must be given to the victims. But so must it be given to the perps too. More often then not it is the cruelty of others that drives the kids to do these things. Unfortunately I know first hand what happens when you ignore, redicule and basically make people feel like there is no reason to live. I've had to deal with a death due to these things. It's not pretty. From either end. An interesting read. Not one that is often written about. Bravo

an insight into life that unfortunately few ever realise. thank you

nicely written

I don't think that it's rough. I think it works. Good work for your first try Pesty Remember, poetry is the expression of ones self. There is no right or wrong. Write what you feel and let it flow. It'll work in the end. *flutters her wings and wanders off looking at the stars*

I sit here alone and shiver The fire burning high No sound in the brutal l'hiver But the sparks crackling in the sky. Sirens sound and cries are heard People rushing to and fro But as I sit alone not a single word Indicates that I know. One of the wonders of insomnia Is that you can witness all that happens The horrible fight that you had with Tina Or Rico's glee that never dampens But this is one night that I wish I had slept through without a noise Perhaps as peaceful as a fish Or a puppy with it's toys. I never wanted to see the match Shinning brightly in your hand But I couldn't help but watch Time slowing to the drifting of sand. A blanket placed upon my shoulders A hand guiding me away Left to sit on the childrens' snow boulders Alone, with no one to hear what I had to say. I blink and watch as they lead you by me Pretending that you don't know what to do I blink again and pray that I won't see The horrors in my mind that will stew The smile on your face The dropping of the flame The light dancing on you like it could taste And you are the only one to blame.

oh sigh....to forever be a page....*sniff sniff* heheh, just playing. Congrats guys and gals Great work!! *flutters her wings and runs off after her butterflies*

Running and running and running so far Ducking and swooping and jumping so fast Trying and fighting and warring with you Then BAMB! I'm down Please no! Please don't! Please Help! Stop! No more! I beg! No more! I cry! I fight and crawl and push you away And still your evil fingers tickle my sides. Ahh dang. You won this tickle war. Heheheh, a little different then my oh so sober other poems now isn't it Thought it was time for a change. And how come I still don't have my "Angel of the Pen with the Tilted Halo" title yet???? *cries* no one loves me!!!!!!

the person above has obviously read Weiss & Hickman

*nods in agreement*

very well written. The words you wrote make the images come easily to the mind.

oh! oh! *runs in, trips, flutters her wings a bit* I'm here!!! errm..... can I have the title of like, erm.... The Pen's Angel with the Tarnished, Slightly Tilted Halo? heheh or something along those lines

*flutters her wings* can I play too???

a lot has changed since then too much has been said has been yelled too many tears cried again and again what can I say to you now that would change things to how they used to be? so that things were peaceful i see that it can't be like that the poison that others have said takes root in your mind and you believe them over the truth before you hurt turns to doubt doubt turns to lies the lies turn to into a fake truth and it's all over all you had to do was ask all you had to do was believe and now there is nothing left nothing left to say Just Goodbye

HURRAH!!! *goes back to sitting in her tree*

With a sigh and a lifting of the wrinkled hand she corrected her hair. Slowly getting up from her chair she walked over to the window and glanced at the world below. Another sigh and a slight shake of her head is all that she had to say about what she saw before her. What happened to the world she knew? Where people liked you for who you were not the clothes that you wore. Where 25 cents would get you into the movies with a drink and a bag of popcorn now, it's a phone call. Using the headboard as an aid she made her way back to her chair and sat down to wait. Today her grandchildren were coming to tell her of how their week was and for her to tell stories to. She let her head fall back gently against the chair the rocking bringing her to sleep one she would not wake up from. She was found 2 weeks later when the landlord realised that he could not hear her moving around. He took a moment to look around at the pictures of her grandchildren and the shawl she held so dear. "It's sad," he thought to himself that her grandchildren never came "but then again, that new movie was released..."

a sad but true account of a too materialistic world. well written.