VIGILANT EYES
by PAULA
My headstrong deliberation is
Coincidental with your heartbeat,
The thump, thump, thump
Reminds me of
Frosty the Snowman
And his dauntless twigs for feet.
Premeditated, you call it?
Never that.
In reverence, I reproach your black top hat.
Unique trait of a familiar face.
I need a distraction
To retract my aimless attention,
Preoccupy my mind,
Scrutinize my intuition.
Vigilant eyes,
You can continue to try.
But, in actuality,
You’re a thousand
Lies behind.
STORY OF A CRUSADER
by DAVID
By the light I go,
Striding to the battle.
My pace quickens,
As I hear the bones rattle.
I go over a hill,
And what do I see.
Endless undead,
The sight shocks me.
Beautiful homes,
Raging Flames.
Screaming people,
Child games.
The burning homes,
Zombies are moaning.
A story for tomes,
Even souls are roaming.
With a stout heart,
I raise my blade.
I charge with zeal,
To stop this raid!
The first are slain,
In a flash of light.
Exorcised to a crisp,
Redemption glows bright.
More take their place,
Yet I don’t waver.
There are lives to save,
In my holy endeavor.
A woman and child,
Are saved and flee.
But the undead are merciless,
Shot them both beside me.
I turn in anger,
To face these new foes.
An arrow penetrates me,
Fired from cursed bows.
I fall to a knee,
Writhing in pain.
The laws of the light,
Failed to remain.
I get to my feet,
Grabbing my side.
I look at my gram,
And begin my stride!
With a stout heart,
I raise my blade.
I charge with zeal,
To stop this raid!
The archers slain,
One by one.
The bodies drop,
Till the job is done.
I cringe in pain,
The curse afflicting.
The world is fading,
Death is quickening.
I attempt to heal,
The blighted wound.
To no avail,
I must be doomed.
I move to the ground,
Coughing up blood.
A boot hits my face,
I land with a thud.
A stab in the chest,
From an abomination.
Blue flesh and fat,
A terrifying Aberration.
As I lay bleeding,
The fires burn.
I feel I have failed,
Death has taken turn.
With the last of life,
I see one thing.
The crusaders come,
On god’s wing.
DECISIONS
by PAULA
Stuck in the middle, don’t know which side to chase.
My only question is – Why should I be made to choose a side in the first place?
PREFACE TO MIDNIGHT’S PLEA
by DAEZY
I felt a cold wind break through the room. I couldn’t tell where I was. All I know is that I’m strapped to a wooden chair with unbreakable latches. I thrashed at the arms of the chair, trying to slip out, but their grip was more complex than I thought. The lights flickered to life, and the room frightened me. I knew this room well. The Chamber. The room was a bright shade of baby blue, with brown and black dirt on the wall, and floor. On my left side I saw a window. The window took up an entire side where a wall should have been. The long frame seemed to look connected to his body. He snickered, and promised everything was going to be alright. He would make the voices stop. He lies, just so he can try his bizarre treatments on me. He smiled and said, “Its okay, Midnight. I will make the voices stop if you work with me.” I could hear a smile of doubt in his voice. “Take the pain. Own it. It will help you.” The hanging light swung above me, threatening to fall and crush me. I wish it would. But the iron holding it up was going to restrain. Just like these latches. “The voices will stop. Take the pain, dear.” His deep, tenor voice throbbed, and a wiggle of pleasure shook through him. His black boots shuddered, and his white lab coat wiggled off his shoulders slightly. He swiftly tossed it on his shoulders, and a big smile spread across his white lips. His lips were framed by a fire orange goatee. It was the perfect evil look for an evil person. “I have you now, Midnight.”
It was very quick. He pressed an invisible button, and big jolts of electricity ripped through my veins. I launched my head back, and threw my torso into the air. My legs scratched the blue marble floor. The shocks ripped through me, but the voices wouldn’t stop. 2/15/45 Rebecca Alice Martin. 9/21/23 Terrence Allen Walters. 7/6/34 Alex Juan Mist. The voices seemed to run together. The voices told me when these strangers would… die.
The shocks stopped, but the pain cut deep into me. My breath became uneven, and my heart accelerated, still trying to push out the shock. 11/19/24 Max Martin Esquire. It was his date with fate. I wanted him to know my pain. “Max Martin Esquire, November 19th, 2024!” I yelled. My breathing accelerated again. He started the shocks, and I screamed from the top of my lungs, repeating his name and last date.
He turned an invisible dial, and the shocks grew more unbearable. I screamed, and thrashed at the chair, but the latches kept my hands and head in place. I couldn’t move or get away from the pain. It was a frightening experience.
My wild, now shoulder length hair frenzied in, like the wind was blowing it. My lips curled behind my teeth, and a growl ripped through my throat. It was animal-like, and frightening. My legs wanted to spring, but I was trapped in a wooden chair with iron latches that threatened to cut off my hands. I was trapped to be tortured by my mind, and my crypt keeper. . .
THE WORD MASTER
by DAEZY
Words
Like fireflies
Always easy to catch and misinterpret.
Like rumors.
I am the word master.
Let me spin you a tail out of the midst of my mad mind.
Off the top of my head
just like that.
A mother puts her child to bed
and kisses her goodnight.
Once down the hall she hears a scream.
Her child’s been stolen,
WHAT A FRIGHT!
Her bones turn to ice
and she’s cold to the core.
Her husband say’s “it’s alright!”
She wants lies no more!
Rumor has it, he’s been hiding the child
in a cabin that’s quite near.
Sad and desperate the mother searches
and finds what’s been missing all these years….
See, see?
The quality of mystery?
How your brain is now jumping like a dolphin doing circus tricks?
How your eyes are wide open, waiting to hear the end of this?
But I am the master,
I am in control.
I tell you to jump,
you jump!
I tell you to climb
you climb!
With my magical pen, and my brain full of tricks
I write out your life,
The word master!
WHO WE ARE
Exclusive Ink is Shortridge High School's dynamic creative writing group. This is the place for our work to glow.WHAT WE DO
We write poems, short stories, essays, and whatever us inspires us. We share our work aloud and support each other.WHY WE WRITE
Because it's freedom. Because it's fun.