The Lone Sailor

A lone sailor has decided to set sail the seas and have been polluted. His only source of movement is the bathtub.There is a huge storm and his ship gets lost in the sea. He can see land far away. The mountains look much closer than they really are. The trash that surrounds the bathtub shows there is not enough space in the bathtub. The storm is shaking his bathtub and slowly making him sink.The sailor is going to swim to his love who is in another country thousands of kilometers away. Before the storm and before the world was polluted he was a sailor and a fisherman. But after the pollution the fish died. Most people lost their jobs and their property; in this occasion the sailor has lost his boat.

The Dead Wed

In this picture you can see the wedding between a living groom and a dead bride. The view point is on the couple and the priest. The statement that I want to show is the difference between rich and poor. This is shown with that fact that the human family has to stand or sit on the ground, while that dead family has riches, like chairs and a buffet. The wedded couple is standing with the priest in the middle of the picture. It's most likely midday and it's in the 21 century. The magical realism is that necrophilia is completely in this world and even marrying a dead body is fine.

Chaotic Beauty

This art piece is titled 'Chaotic Beauty' in order to describe and show the different meanings behind all the items in this piece. The first symbol is the rose. The rose can symbolize two opposite tings, beauty and blood. The beauty part of the rose is shown on the left side, where a butterfly and bees are also located. The blood is shown on the other side. The ocean, where the rose-planted ship is floating on, also has an oxymoron symbolism. The ocean can represent the calm and cleanness, where there is no human influence, and the chaotic polluted area where there is influence. This is represented in the piece by splitting the scene into half and showing these symbols. Water pollution is the main theme that is being presented. This piece shows how beautiful the ocean is without any influence of human. 

Day and Night

Time has changed on planet Earth. People have changed on planet Earth.  Every Day since January 10, 2101 people have been waking up during the night and sleeping thru the day. Nobody has a clue on as to why or even what made this dramatic change. All they know is that there is no going back. Emma, the girl depicted in this photo is sleeping thru the daylight and awaking during the nightfall. You can see Emma’s skin is a washed out : she doesn't get enough sunlight to get a pleasant light brown skin tone.

The Storm Break

Marshall, Taylor. "Did God Send the Tornado? The Problem of Natural Evils." Taylor Marshall PhD. N.p., 21 May 2013. Web. <http://taylormarshall.com/2013/05/did-god-send-tornado-problem-of-natural.html>.

The old lady glanced down at her sandaled feet and, after a drawn-out exhale, she began.“It was a rather unremarkable morning. Daily occurrences passed without notice from the few early risers traversing the quiet streets of Charlesville. The last withered leaves of autumn fell in succession down to the road, illuminated by the first lights of dawn. The sleeping townspeople were roused by floods of warm light as the sun made its ascent. The dull murmur of human noise gradually grew louder until cars began to leave their driveways, mothers sent their children off to school, husbands kissed their wives goodbye. Yes, it had indeed seemed as though the world had been meticulously staged to look like a perfectly uneventful collection of hours.”

She took another breath and continued on in her old Southern drawl, “I felt something that day. A spark in the air, a near undetectable static prick and yet still, I could feel it as I rose unsteadily from my bed. I remember wiping the sensation from my face, my arms, my hands and ambling downstairs uneasily.

“‘Father?’ I called as I walked groggily to the kitchen.

“‘Father?’ my voice echoed forlornly through the still house, mixed with the metal clang of spoon against bowl while I ate my cereal. I always used to roll my tired, hazel eyes at his habitual absence. He wasn’t ever home.

“‘He still isn’t back,’I meant to think, but the words slipped slyly through my lips. I returned to my bedroom to change into my school uniform. The stiff polyester of my plaid skirt abraded my dry, pale skin, and I let out my usual, seven AM ‘ugh.’ A glance to the mirror, showing a mass of frizzy auburn locks, provoked another moan.” The old lady’s eyes trailed off, and she laughed without humor.

“I heard the familiar click of the lock as I opened the door to go. It was then that it began. The hall light fizzled out, and I was left in the dull morning sun’s haze. A thunderous crash sounded from a few miles off, followed by a cacophony of piercing sirens. I fell against the door in shock. Nobody would have thought Charlesville. We were a little town in the South, and the harshest weather we had ever experienced was summer showers. Yes, the scientists did warn us about the effects of our actions, but people never listen.

“I tried desperately to collect myself when a second gust shook our house to its very foundation. A family picture smashed down to the floor. A crystal vase abloom with dead flowers toppled, dousing me with a drizzle of dirty water. I ran to the street and merged with the crowd of the panicked and hysterical. I recall following their eyes up to the blackened clouds, and gazing with horror at the sight I beheld.

“Through the overhanging trees, the sky was storming with thick, swirling tornadoes, their sickly shadows imprinted on the tarmac, moving closer by the second. My head swam in a sudden wave of nausea, and I tilted it back down only to find I was now alone. The townspeople had all bolted to their homes to collect their children and flee while they still could. I stood, petrified, before another blast stirred me into action. I ran to my neighbors’ house as they were just pulling out of their garage.

“‘Mr. Johnson! Mr. Johnson please!’I pleaded through the glass window. Mr. Johnson briefly shut his eyes as if to say ‘I hear you, but I won’t change my mind.’

“‘Please, Mrs. Johnson, my dad isn’t home, he has the car, I don’t know what to do. Please let me come with you. I have no where to go. My dad..’ My words came stumbling out one on top of the other as I was sprinting alongside the ever-hastening car. They finally escaped their long driveway, and left me desolate, coughing up their grey exhaust.

“In choking tears, I came back to the deserted main street. I collapsed in heaving sobs, my shaking hands grasping the ends of my skirt. The roar of the storm was deafening, its increasing volume speeding time and the world was set in droning fast-motion. I felt the hollow, disabling awareness that I was completely alone. As fast as my legs could take me, I ran home. As the houses of the departed passed by in a colorless blur, the tornados reached the quiet streets of Charlesville. Invisible hands pushed my thin, wispy body and I flew five yards, landing on my side. Oh god, the pain screamed. I let out a cry of pure agony and pushed up from the gravel. There was no time to lose. In my dazed, slightly concussed mind, that notion shone with complete clarity. It was do or die.

“Behind me, trees were being uprooted and spiralling to the ground, houses were crumbling. The newly paved road was severed into chunks of black rock and the sky was thick with ash and debris. The world was being churned into a throng of physical chaos, and all I could do was run.”

The old woman’s face lit up, and she gazed into the middle distance with a hint of a smile at her lips.

“But then, in the midst of all this destruction and tumult, the tornado suddenly stood still. Perfectly, blessedly still. The tremendous sound died out like smoke in the breeze as the tornado stopped rotating around its axis. I looked around in astonishment, before realizing that this was my chance. I reached my house, still intact, and barreled down to the basement. I threw myself in a room stocked with peas and bottled water, and I waited.” She closed her eyes, and sat in thought for a while before continuing.

“The tornado began again on its path of death, and I sat, holding my breath for my inevitable end. But it never came. Oh yes, the house was gone. Charlesville had ceased to exist in a matter of minutes, because we didn’t listen. We were warned, yet still in our innate stubbornness, we decided not to listen to the men in white coats. All was lost because of it, and now there are so few of us left.”

Money Is Not Enough

This was inspired by Chronicle of A Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez. Its an imaginary scene where Bayardo San Roman is feeding Xius with money. In chapter two of Chronicle of A Death Foretold, Bayardo wanted to buy Xius's house but he rejected even though Bayardo offered him a lot of money. Xius claimed that it was the only thing left from his wife. He couldn't resist for a long time and accepted the offer, he died shortly after. In the picture the tree represents Xius's wife. The branches of the tree cover the house. It means that Xius feels like she is still with him in the house.

The Man That Sees Through

You may have seen many kids always blabbing on about how they want to be a superhero, astronaut or a doctor. What really happens to them? Nothing, they become nothing because of their silly imaginations. When I was younger I could see things, and when I looked into someone’s eyes I could see their thoughts. This is why I am now solving crimes. I was never on the front lines but in the interrogation rooms. Here in New York, I am the best of them all. When I look into someone’s eyes it is like I can see into their mind and soul, everything is open to me. I cannot abuse this because it is part of my morals, only for work, nothing else. I can tell whether someone is lying through their body language, and if it becomes harder, through their eyes. There is also a force that is out of this world that I can sense sometimes; this all is determined through the level of my concentration.

In this investigation, I was working with a nutjob, said to have killed his wife in front of their two-year-old child, then left the baby and fled the scene. This was two weeks ago because we only just found him hiding in the streets on New York City, pretending to be a homeless man. I was waiting inside of the interrogation room when Lieutenant Norris came in. “Hello Julian, I am here to debrief you,” he explained. So then he went on to tell me. “We are dealing with a 6’1’ caucasian male named Richard. He and his wife were in a heated argument when Lucy threw a plate towards his direction. This enraged him and he threw something, and then started pulling her hair. She was kicking him. Slowly the knife was pulled out and boom, that’s all we know from him, never said that he actually did anything, and that she killed herself, you need to go find out what happened,” Lt. Norris suggested. “Ok sure,” I replied and I went into a new interrogation room.

The walls in this room were yellow, when I entered Richard’s back was facing me, his hands shackled down to the desk. When I turned to look at him, I instantly knew that he was going to be harder to crack. His face was weary with a long beard from all the days spent in the streets, with scratches on his face. He asked me, “Are you the psycho ‘mind readers’ everyone has been talking about?” I hate that so much. I am not like those awkward street magicians who can read minds. No, I have greater capacities, seriously have you seen what they say? Duh? what they ‘predict’ is obvious, it’s mad! Anyways I was asking him questions, making him feel calm so I can connect to him easier but the more questions I asked the more I realized he was someone who will be harder to crack, I needed heaps of concentration and need to break a few rules.

I first proved to him that I was not crazy, so I brought an embarrassing story of himself to mind from the past, I could feel Lt. Norris being a bit uncomfortable about me doing this even from the one-sided mirror. This then made it easier for me to see into him. I was also hoping that he would be proven guilty so he doesn’t beat me up later if we bump into each other! I was now at the stage where I could ask him questions and see whether he has any unusual body movements or anything that is easier to see through him. After 15 minutes it was then time for the main question, “Did you kill Lucy?” I knew that he knew it was coming for him and when I began the sentence I knew he did, the iris of his eye had the small pigment moving more rapidly, this then made me know, it was very unusual that he gave it in so quickly. “Yes, I did" he said. Once he said that I was a massive state of surprise, why did he give in so easily? “I don’t deserve to be free! I killed my boy’s mother in front of him! Why oh why did I ever do such a thing?”  As he said that I saw it was like a massive load was off his back, “Take me now,” he begged “take me”.

On the day of the court trial he was looking much better, he wore a suit and shaved his face. He wasn’t allowed to see the baby because of what he did. There was still a judge case anyway, because the lawyer said that Richard had some mental issues. This why he confessed to us, UGH! lawyers. So we had no choice but to let there be a court case. The judge was yapping and yapping and Lt. Norris and his lawyer were also yapping and yapping while I was just staring at the walls. I hate the judge, that isn’t justice, justice is the truth, what I can find out. “Mr. Richard Larry, I sentence you to life imprisonment for the murder of Ms. Lucy Larry and for child cruelty,” the judge exclaimed. As she said all the people in the whole room, people were gasping, whispering and crying. “Order in the court! Order in the court!” she said while slamming her silly shiny wooden hammer that looked like something I played with when I was three on the desk.

That was that, Richard was put where he was meant to be and Lucy’s friends had her funeral and little Billy was put in an orphanage because Lucy was the only child of parents who were only children. Ever since that case I haven’t have a proper sleep pattern for weeks, something about Richard made me weaker in my lie detection skills, this is very unusual but I am still to this day finding an explanation. Why did he just give himself in? Did the pigments in his iris change because he got his confession off his chest or because of another reason? This is what comes of The Man Who Sees Through.

"Interrogation Room." screenshots, images and pictures. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2014. <http://www.comicvine.com/interrogation-room/4020-57795/images/>.

The Hunt

           Every few years, something called The Hunt takes place in my town. My town? It’s pretty small, we’re about five hundred people. We’re like a big family, everyone knows everyone and we all live to help each other. The Hunt: is a big event that has been part of our society for hundreds of years. It starts out with a big boom and then it all begins; chaos breaks loose. Soldiers from the big city arrive within the hour of the boom and start to take the children. The ones that are taken are never to be seen again. No one knows what happens to them, but there are myths that these children are used as our meat. They get stuffed until they have enough meat on their bones and then killed to provide for the entire country. Anyone who resists gets executed on the spot. Everyone is scared of it, no one talks about it, and if you happen to mention it, people tend to stare at you with great fear in their eyes. George, my neighbor, always tells me stories about The Hunt, but they’re so gruesome they must be made up. How could human beings do such things to each other? George told me about Mr. Green. Yes, he was a bit odd and had his moments where he completely lost it, but the stories George told me? They couldn’t be true. He told me that Mr. Green had witnessed his own wife’s execution, after his three children were taken away.  She was executed because she resisted against the soldiers when they were taking away their children. Mr. Green has never said a word to anyone ever since. He tends to stay inside with the doors locked and the blinds shut. No one knew a thing about him.The next Hunt is in about three to four weeks from now and my parents are getting more nervous with every day that passes. We had a cabin in the woods where we would hide out during The Hunt. Everyday we took some supplies there. People became more paranoid and more careful. Careful to whom they would speak, share their information with, and even ask for help. Only two days until it starts –my parents are telling me to stay inside at all time. One-day left, I’m scared. My mother told me that we’re leaving as soon as it gets dark. 

After waiting for hours, my dad came up to my room and said that we were leaving. I was nervous, scared, and my heart was beating so fast, I could feel it in my throat. We were walking in the dark, we couldn’t see a thing, and we were all scared to death. My brother started sobbing and my mother couldn’t stop shaking. My father kept saying that everything would be fine, as long as we stuck together and kept on moving. When we finally got to the cabin, we knew something was wrong. Nothing was in the place we had left it in. The cabin looked searched. My mother grabbed my arm and pressed my brother to her body. My father pulled out a gun and I gasped. It was against the law to own a gun or any kind of weapon. We were barely allowed to own a kitchen knife. He put his finger to his lips to tell me to be quiet. I did as he said, but so much was going through my head. Where did he get that? Why didn’t he tell me sooner about this? I had so many questions and no one was giving me answers. We stood there for a few minutes, listening if there was anyone. Every noise we heard we shifted and with every noise I grabbed my mother’s arm with more power. And then, all at once, with a big boom, someone kicked down the door. I was blinded by the flash flights and felt helpless. Someone had taken me from my mother’s side. I tried to get away but he was too strong, I tried kicking him and I kept on kicking him until everything went dark.When I woke up everything hurt. There was this endless pain in my right arm: the arm that was held by the soldier that pulled me away from my mother. I opened my eyes with difficulty. I looked around me. There, in the corner, was a figure. It looked big and intimidating. It was looking at me. I couldn’t see its eyes, but I just felt it staring at me.

“Where am I?” I asked. It didn’t answer so I asked again, but this time louder and with more power, “Where am I and where are we going?” It stayed quiet for a bit and then he answered. He had a deep voice that sounded surprisingly friendly. “You’re on a train on your way to the city”. The city? What’s in the city? Why am I going to the city? “You have a lot of questions don’t you?” He said it in this voice, he sounded surprised.Hours had passed when the train came to a sudden stop and the figure started to smile. “We’re here.” 

He grabbed my arm and pulled me up. The door opened and the first thing I saw were high buildings, made up from glass shining in the early morning light. I was stunned and the man started to laugh, but not very loudly, but softly as if he were trying to make me feel more comfortable. They took me to one of the shiny buildings and told me to stay seated in one of the rooms, which had green chairs. I did as I was told. At the end of the room was a door through which a lady with red hair walked in. She signaled me to her and I approached. She said to follow her; she started to walk towards the same door she walked in through, and I followed. The room was made up of four walls, of which one was completely made of glass. My eyes automatically went to the glass and what I saw was the truth. The myths about the fate of the taken children weren’t myths; they were real. Everything was real; the children being stuffed, held in one place like animals, and the slaughtering.

"Stocks." Dreamstime. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/x/glass-skyscraper-blue-sky-23720483.jpg>.

Disaster Boys

In the run-down slums of Los Angeles, during the worst October to date random unexplainable natural disasters had been terrorizing the world for 10 years since the great decline in 2014; change was in store for the world. Waken up to the repercussions of a crazy sandstorm, Anderson Denzel and his younger brother Ricky had swiped the torn-up drapes from their bedroom to get a feel for the sudden commotion. The two had gotten a quick glance at their friends Jerome Dwayne and Leroy Stefan getting into a brawl, with local bounty hunters Michael Sean, and Jamaal Lee fighting for no reason. From curiosity, they stormed out of the orphanage to break up the fight. Anderson started barking at the hunter’s “ Leave them alone. What are guys doing?” In response the hunters go ranting off saying that Jamal and Michael were responsible for the destruction of their homes and many other residences. The boys then reply saying it must be the sandstorm; however before they could finish a mash of blazin meteors come raining down before them like a sequence of missiles. They all ran to take refuge in a underground bunker. Shocked in paralyzation from what had just happened, Anderson turns on the local news channel. What they see is a worldwide report of hundreds of meteors falling onto Earth, creating chaos while demolishing any building in their path. Eventually a meteor finds it way to the newscast tower, and they have lost connection. To make it even worse everyone starts bickering, and then Ricky yells for them stop. In the end, they decide to sit put in the bunker until tomorrow and sleep away the night.

Waking up from rejuvenating sleep, the group rises early and exits the bunker. However, they keep arguing and fighting with each other; until they finally agree to a pact where until everything is back to normal, they will form an alliance. Suddenly, Jerome and Leroy point out the destruction of their orphanage, and they realize there is another group of unfamiliar guys beaten to a pulp on the ground. They run over to them and ask what has happened to them. Barely moving their mouth’s they manage to say their homes remains have been ransacked and burned by a gang called the MS-13. One of the beaten men explains that they are a lethal drug cartel based out of Mexico, run by the notorious crime lord Omar Calderon. Another one of the men adds on saying: “There is a rumor spreading another dangerous gang, called the Crips have made an alliance with MS-13, and they plan on killing everyone in their way for complete domination of LA.” After pondering on how to take action, Leroy and Jerome believe they should start their own group; they want to rally up all the remaining survivors to take down the alliance. First off, they begin with recruiting the beaten men proceeding with giving them medical assistance.

After a few hours of relaxing, they have set up camp near the orphanage wreckage. Once everyone has settled Anderson says: “Ok guys, we need to assemble a great plan to get prepared for a showdown with the gang alliance; this may take weeks to accomplish, but I know we can do it.” “And how do you plan on doing this, if I may ask?” replies Ricky with a smug face. Then, Michael interrupts saying: “I think we need to work, collaboratively; me and Jerome, can gather all the survivors we can find, to recruit for our gang. “Great, also you know we are bikers and professional mechanics. We could hook ourselves up with some armoured transportation with so many laying vehicle parts around the city.” reply the beaten men in excitement. “Awesome guys, but we can't possibly have a gang out a name, weapons, and an improved protective home base.” responds Jerome in doubt. “No worries, my military experience comes in handy now; I know where to find, and how to make great weapons. Plus, Ricky is quite the architect, so I think all our problems are solved.” Anderson explains with confidence. With some thinking involved, the group comes to the agreement of the disaster boys; their goal is bring chaos, and disorder to all opposing enemies. At the peak of darkness in midnight, the group begins their quest to dethrone the alliance, and bring relative peace along with rehabilitation to the streets of LA.

After weeks of preparation the gang has accomplished all their goals, and also has gained intel on the whereabouts of the alliance headquarters; where they plan to  a stormed barrage tonight. “All is looking good guys, we have recruited an army of a few hundred men, and we are ready.” bursts Jerome, and Michael in anxiousness. “Calm down guys, we need still need to go over the plan again. Me and Ricky with our men will attack from underground, locate Omar, and finish them. To do so, we need Michael and Jerome’s group to attack from the east, the bikers must head in from the west, and Leroy must go with Jerome’s group from the south to surprise them.” replies Anderson. After a few hours of rest, everyone heads out to the abandoned warehouse where the alliance is hiding; except Anderson and Ricky’s group going through the underground tunnels to ambush Omar’s hideout within the warehouse.

A slaughterfest has begun, and time has struck absolute death at quarter past 8. Despite, losing many casualties, all groups have succeeded in advancing into the warehouse, and they are waiting on Anderson’s groups to enter, finish Omar and his men. In great thanks to work of the bikers, the groups all were able to ram through the walls of warehouse with armoured trucks, and pick off even more enemies. Back in Anderson and Ricky’s group, they have made their way into the warehouse where they were ambushed by Omars men. They quickly ran for protection behind the piles of junk scraps; however, they were pinned down. Then, from nowhere Omar walks in and yells “Its all over, and theres no escape.” However, to his surprise Anderson calls his back up, and Omar has been surrounded. Ricky and Anderson reveal themselves, and tells Omar: “Your reign in LA is over, and the city is going back to the people.”  Then he hollers to Omar’s men and captured slaves: “All of you innocent fighters of Omar, I ask of you to join us bring back peace, and settle our differences aside. I know we can't change what happened already, but we surely change the path of the future.” After, the gang heads out with Omar in custody, the remaining fighters and slaves on their side, along with a new direction for the motivation. Rebuilding the City of Angels, getting rid of the meteors, and bringing back the heavenly atmosphere to the people.

Image Source:Service, Mail Foreign. "Devastating Fire Turns Philippine Shanty Town into Towering Inferno." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 26 Apr. 2010. Web. 14 Oct. 2014.

Street Sweepers

It was the summer of 2025 when I graduated from Harvard University. I could not have been more proud of myself. My family had came to the graduation ceremony and everyone congratulated me as I finished one of the largest steps in my life. The only thing I heard that day was “Congrats James!” and I couldn’t complain. I had studied hard for 4 years to get my degree. After a few days of parties and celebrations I decided to get a job so I could leave my parents’ house. When submitting a resume I felt a huge surge of power as I wrote down the university from where I graduated. Coming from the best university, I was guaranteed not to get a bad job like a lawyer or doctor. I couldn’t sleep that night. I wanted to see how many jobs I was offered. I needed the sleep though, in case I was scheduled for an interview on the same day. Big companies have busy schedules.

The next morning I couldn’t believe my luck. The United States Department of Sanitation had offered me a job. They said they wanted a meeting the next day. I told my friends and family about the good news. My cousin Pablo told me they have high wages there. The interview would make or break my chances and they told me the spot was in high demand. The next day I went to their offices in downtown Boston. I answered the questions they asked me very well. I knew I had nailed it. They called later to tell me I had gotten the job. I was going to be a professional street cleaner! This was one of the most respected jobs in the country.

The first day of work was great. People had left around a lot of trash. That’s just how it was. Boston was very dirty, especially downtown where I worked. There were high towers and people walking all over the streets. There was a lot of smog from cars and the air quality was poor. I didn’t mind. I hadn’t imagined that the job would be so enjoyable. I had Harvard to thank for my skills. Picking up every last piece of garbage and sweeping dust was a long days work. When I moved into cleaning more urban areas I drove a sweeper machine. It was much more difficult than my car. I learned how to make sharp turns and different ways to maneuver through the streets. After a day of work in town the streets of downtown Boston looked a little better. Some coworkers and I would meet up at night for dinner.

“Have you seen how I work!” screamed Shawn, a piece of lettuce went flying. Shawn was a type of guy who loved being around other people just so he could brag. Most people couldn’t stand him but we let him in because of his sense of humor. “Mad dogs can’t cover as much ground as I do!” Then Roger tried to calm him down.

“C’mon man, we all work a lot. It’s a team effort when we clean these grounds.” He was normally quiet, Roger, but he was the only one who could get Shawn to come to his senses.

“You’re right, and I’m getting another steak for us. Rookie has just had his first taste of the high life as street sweeper,” said Shawn quietly. That’s what they called me for some time, Rookie. I would always be the new kid for a while. After that we all went home.

“How was work James?” she asked. My mother always wanted to get into my business, but it didn’t bother me. She was very kind and made sure not to go too far with her questions.

“Well, it was tough but I think I am going to go far in this. They’re talking about new cleaning technology. Stuff I was working on in college. The poor engineers will be building those while we do the real work.”

“Sounds fun. Are there any guys you’ve made friends with so far?”

“Yeah, we have a great group and I enjoy spending time with them.”

“I hope you continue to enjoy your job.”

“Thanks mom!” I said before passing out that night after work.

    Within a few weeks I bought a condominium in the heart of the city. Jessie Mersaf was a legendary waitress at a local restaurant and she lived right down the hall. I knew that I was in a good neighborhood living in the same building as her. One day something big happened that I couldn’t let slide.

    After work one day I saw Shawn making fun of a poor lawyer. I was very upset. People of our high status should not have prejudices against poorer people.

    “Are you looking for some money sir?” he said mockingly. “We don’t serve beggars here,” said Shawn.

I couldn’t stand the fact that he was so intent on bothering this older man. I was raised on the concept that everyone should be treated equally. I went over to talk to Shawn.

    “Shawn leave him alone,” I commanded. Where was Roger when I needed him? He would have been able to calm him down in seconds. “It’s not like he’s bothering you or anything,” I pointed out. “Same skin and nation as you, what do you want from him?” Shawn left the man and came to me like a charging bull.

    “What’cha say rook?” I knew I had made a mistake. I didn’t know why I was scared. Shawn was obviously talking in a joking manner. I was saved when Roger came over to calm him down. That day we went straight home. I called my mom to tell her about the day. She told me that it was wrong of him. After that day I couldn’t take it anymore.

Soon after, I joined the “Anti-Discrimination Association of America”. We met regularly and talked about our experiences and why people get angry and discriminate against other people. From that day on I was devoted to stopping discrimination around the country. I was glad to be part of a great organization.

"Polk County Judge Rules That Plaintiffs Fail to Show Inseparability in Class-Action Against the State of Iowa." Chicago Overtime Lawyer Blog. N.p., 23 Apr. 2012. Web. 14 Oct. 2014.

A Life Abandoned

   Teague, Jason C. "10 Things Sci-fi Promised Us That DID Happen in 2013 (or Thereabout).
" WebVisions. WebVisions, 3 Jan. 2014. Web. 13 Oct. 2014.

The meeting had dragged on for over an hour and James was ready to give up and fall asleep right in front of his coworkers. Their voices droned rhythmically beckoning him towards the land of dreams. 
“JAMES!” He jumped up startled, opening his eyes to his colleagues’ curious faces, “What is your opinion on the Delharty deal?” 
“Yes,” James blustered. 
The confused staff decided continuing on that trajectory was a worthless effort. Throughout the remainder of the meeting, James was left to himself. He wistfully remembered the freedom of the past. Now all he had to look forward to was papers on his desk and endless meetings.

Back at home, James was eagerly greeted by his Labrador puppy Charles. Charles’s frantic licks and wagging tail brought a smile to his face that the monotonous day had wiped away. He was immediately reminded of Charles’s bi-daily walk. Outside he felt calm and content, the chirping of birds and dusky twilight helped lessen his stress. His wayward thoughts were brought back down to earth by a vibration in his pocket. He removed his phone and took a moment to register it was his sister in Florida. They had always been close and she never failed to cheer him up when needed. 
“Hey Megan,” James said into the phone. 
“James! How have you been?” her sing-song voice echoed. 
“My job is literally torture, if only someone else could do it for me…” 
“Don’t we all!” James laughed in response, “I’m a little busy now but I’ll make sure to call tomorrow.” 
“You better!”

As James lay in bed with Charles curled next to him, he reminisced over his past, carefree days. His depressing thoughts lulled him to sleep and his breathing fell into rhythm with Charles’s. James was awakened by a breeze flowing through his room. The cool air surprised him because he had made sure to close all the windows before sleeping. He opened his eyes and was confronted by the billowing form of a specter. James surprisingly felt no fear. 
“What are you?” James queried. 
“I am the answer to your greatest wishes.” the specter whispered. 
James was suddenly invigorated by the connotations of this strange occurrence, “What do you mean?” 
“Wait until the morning and all your dreams will come true.” The specter faded away and James was overcome by sleep.

James awoke to the rhythmic beeping of his alarm clock and pale dawn light filtering in through his eyelids. He opened his eyes to be face to face with an exact copy of himself. 
He thought back to the apparition of the night before and asked, “What are you?” 
“I’m whatever you want me to be… at a cost,” the clone replied, “I will complete any task imaginable, anything your heart desires.” 
James realized he had the unbelievable chance to change his life for the better. 
“Do it! Do my job for me!” James whispered, scarcely believing the events that were unfolding. 
“As your heart desires… but there is a cost, you will age faster every time you enlist my services,” the copy warned. 
James’s joy blinded him to the warning, “Sure, sure, be off!” 
His daydreams of his new life were cut short by the scratching on the door. James had forgotten to walk Charles. He stumbled out the door with his head in the clouds wondering how to fill his work-free day. The romance of the birds chirping was rudely interrupted by Charles relieving himself. He groaned in disgust at the task before him. The once bright spot at the corner of his eye darkened and the shade appeared. 
“Any task you wish me to complete?” the shade rasped ominously. 
James felt the weight of the world lift off his shoulders; the power he now possessed was greater than he had ever imagined. 
“Yes, clean up after Charles!” James commanded. 
“Do you accept the cost?” James nodded his head without a second thought. 
The shade faded away and was replaced by another copy of James. The copy quickly went about its task and faded away as if it never existed. When James took Charles out again in the evening, the clone was once again there to fulfill its purpose.

That night, with a triumphant smile, James unplugged his alarm clock. He slept more soundly than ever before, until he was awoken by the sound of scratching on his door. The abrupt awakening ended his contented haze. The corners of James’s vision darkened and the apparition reappeared. 
“Any task you wish me to complete?” the apparition rattled. 
“Yes, take out Charles.” James yawned already returning to his fluffy, dream world. 
“Do you accept the cost?” the specter warned. The words fell upon empty ears; James had already returned to his slumber.

Over the following weeks, James lived like a king. His endless copies faded in and out of reality to complete every task. There were copies for grocery shopping, washing his clothes, and all other mindless, repetitive actions. He was spoiled by this new reality. For over two months, James had separated himself from the everyday world. He realized he had not talked to his sister since her ironic call. He moved towards the phone and the shadow appeared at the corner of his eye. 
“Any task you wish me to complete?” it whispered almost humorously. 
James stopped in his tracks and truly opened his eyes. His gift had corrupted him to the extent that every effort was a burden. He saw Charles waddle in and instantly an assortment of his copies appeared to pet, feed, and care for him. He no longer experienced either the dull and pleasant aspects of his life. His dog barely noticed him, he had not gone outside in days, and he had completely ignored his loved ones. James stumbled backwards and looked himself in the mirror. The face looking back at him was unrecognizable. The mirror reflected a ghostly white figure with wrinkled skin and gray tufts of hair. James instantly felt the pain in his body that comes with old age. He turned about to face the shadow. 
“What have you done?” he cried out. 
“I warned you of the cost and you paid no heed,” the shadow cackled. 
The creature disappeared leaving James alone with his decrepit copies. In shock, he collapsed on his bed. As his energy left his body, he was overwhelmed by the realization that his life had been wasted. He let out his final breath and across existence his spectral copies faded away into nothingness.