June 2013 - Troy Public Library

TEEN ZINE TABLE OF CONTENTS
Summer 2013 Volume 2
Letter To the Teens—Arushi Mahajan (TAB
President)
Library Events and News:
1. Summer Library Program
2. Book Cover Redesign Contest
Reviews:
Book Reviews
by Prathusha Yeruva & Ariel Capaldi
Movie Reviews
by Poshitha Bandarupalli & Ananya Ravi
Music Reviews
by Rameesha
Poetry And Fiction:
1. Poetry:
1. A New Beginning by Abhi Krishnaraj
2. Thought Process by Niharika Dantaluri
3. Spring Fragrance by Sree Jambunathan
4. Faith by Jessica Lo
5. The Unnoticed by Varmitha Hullathy
6. Behind Bars by Sabrina Fraise
7. Spring by Z’el Barnes
8. Hibernation by Z’el Barnes
9. Walk of Silence by Niharika Dantaluri
10. Alone in the Wild by Brittany J
2. Fiction:
1. The End by Erica Chow
2. The Walk by Needa Toofany
3. Of Agony by Erica Chow
4. Infinity by Needa Toofany
5. The Contract by Erica Chow
6. More Beautiful by Matt Jewell
General And Opinion Pieces:
1. TED Talks
by Prathusha Yeruva
2. The First Ever Latin American Pope
by Aditya Yelamanchi
Sports:
Are Professional Athletes Overpaid?
by Aditya Yelamanchi
TAB BIOS:
Arushi Mahajan
Aditya Yelamanchi
Deepika Bandarupalli
Julia Meng
Nick Ronzi
Nihitha Nukala
Poshitha Bandarupalli
Prathusha Yeruva
Rameesha
Sirisha Billa
Sonia Padmanabhan
Sree Jambunathan
A Letter from TAB
President
Hello Teens of Troy,
It has been about a year since the Teen Advisory
Board (or TAB) was founded. Our mission of being a
strong clear voice for teens has been a continued success.
We now have an effective and efficient board and have
hosted numerous successful events. In addition, the teen
related library events have increased exponentially since
TAB was started. Even though a year has passed our
mission and goals continues to be the same. It is to be an
advocate for the adolescent populations to facilitate their
participation in library programs. TAB is for anyone and
everyone, all you need is passion and willingness to
cooperate with others. Meetings are held every other
Thursday and further information can be found on our
Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/troylibteens.
TAB is a great way to become involved in your
community. If you have any questions please contact us at
[email protected]. We are excited to
hear from you, and hope to see you at our upcoming
meetings!
Thank you,
Arushi Mahajan
President of the
Teen Advisory Board
Library Events and News:
TEEN EVENTS @TPL:
All teens ages 13-18 welcome
Join our social network! Follow us on Twitter (@troylibteens), Facebook
(facebook.com/troylibteens), or Tumblr (troylibteens.tumblr.com) and you will never miss
out on another event.
Register for any of the following events on the Library’s online
Program Calendar or by calling 248.524.3534.
Contact Olivia at [email protected] with any questions.
Teen Summer Library Program
June 15- August 8
Forget everything you know about Summer Reading—this year is
shaping up to be totally epic.
How to participate in the 2013 Teen Summer Library Program:
1. Sign up with a Summer Reading account on the Troy Public Library
website (troylibrary.info).
2. Earn points for reading,
writing, drawing, attending
programs, using the Library,
reviewing books, volunteering,
entering contests, submitting to
The Zine, and more.
3. Win prizes!
All participants will be entered into special gift basket drawings in
June, July, and August, so make sure to start logging points right away.
Otaku Club
Second Saturdays
1-2:30 pm
Join the Otaku madness!
We’ll be watching anime,
discussing manga, eating
Pocky, and more. New
members are always
welcome.
Teen Advisory Board
First and Third Thursdays
7-8 pm
The Troy Public Library seeks young people aged 13-18 to join the Teen
Advisory Board. Board members will have exclusive opportunity to plan
events and programs, suggest improvements to the Teen department,
and to promote the library throughout the community. Also, TAB
members will have the chance to talk about books, movies, and video
games with other teens. Snacks are provided to all participants.
Teen Poetry Contest
Deadline: Midnight on Saturday, July 27th
All creative teens are invited to submit their poetry to the Teen Summer
Poetry Contest. Haiku, sonnet, free verse—all styles are accepted, as
long as the work is original. Please send your poems (no more than 3
per person) to [email protected] no later than midnight on Saturday,
July 27th to be considered. Winners will receive cash prizes as well as
publication in The Zine.
Winners for Book Redesign contest:
Congratulations to the following winners of the Teen Book Cover
Design Contest:
First Place: Youjin Nam for Thirteen Reasons Why
Second Place: Monika Molenda for Coraline
Third Place: Nick Ronzi for The Fault in Our Stars
When asked why Youjin chose to redesign Jay Asher's Thirteen
Reasons Why, she said: "I chose this book because it really spoke out to
me. It deals with a lot of issues high schoolers such as myself have to
go through like gossiping and being so concerned about self-image.
Most of all, I thought the original book cover didn't represent the book
very well... I feel like there should have been more symbolism and
indication of the plot."
Many thanks and congratulations to all the talented teens who
submitted designs! We look forward to seeing more from you in
future contests.
Book Reviews:
Also Known As by Robin Benway. Being a 16-year-old safecracker and
active-duty daughter of international spies has its moments, good and bad.
For Maggie Silver, the biggest perk of all has been avoiding high school
and the accompanying cliques, bad lunches, and frustratingly simple locker
combinations. Then Maggie and her parents are sent to New York for her
first solo assignment, and everything changes. She'll need to attend a
private school, avoid the temptation to hack the school's security system,
and befriend the aggravatingly cute Jesse Oliver to gain the information she
needs to crack the case . . . all while trying not to blow her cover. I am a
huge fan of Robin Benway's writing. She's hilarious and her sense of humor
really meshes with mine. I found myself laughing out loud a lot and really
enjoying the funny moments in this book. And there were a LOT of them. I
expected this to be a lighthearted read, but I did expect there to be a little
more tension than there was.
Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman. "There is little more likely to exasperate a
person of sense than finding herself tied by affection and habit to an
Enthusiast." Julie knows from bitter experience: her best friend, Ashleigh,
is an Enthusiast. Ashleigh's current fancy is also Julie's own passion, Pride
and Prejudice, and the heroine's quest for True Love. And so Julie finds
herself swept along with Ashleigh, dressed in vintage frocks and sneaking
into a dance at the local all-boys' prep school. There they discover several
likely candidates for True Love, including the handsome and sensitive
Parr. And Julie begins to wonder if maybe this obsession of Ashleigh's
isn't so bad after all. . .Ha! This proves I like light, fluffy books. Although
rather predictable this book was thoroughly enjoyable. Right on the cover
was a recommendation of praise from Stephanie Myers which made me
roll my eyes, and consider not reading the book. I'm glad I did though, I
loved the two friends. Ashleigh’s "Enthusiasm" didn't seem so very
Enthusiastic after the first 50 pages or so. Not when compared to the crazy
things she's done in the past. The love interest of both girls, Parr, was
slightly bothersome at first but Julie's adoration bent my will and I was
quite smitten with him at the end.
Ruby Red (Edelstein Trilogy #1) by Kerstin Gier. Gwyneth
Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has
been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But
unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class
takes a sudden spin to a different era! Ruby Red is quite
different than most time traveling books that I have read
recently. I was pretty blown away by 'Ruby Red'. I had
heard this series was amazing, and I knew it had to be
popular for it to be translated to English, but I was still
amazed by it. Part of it is the clever writing. I'm not sure
how much of that is the author (a lot of it obviously) and
how much is the translator but the dialogue was had the
perfect amount of snap to it.
The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg. Love is all you need... or
is it? Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's
a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about
it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely
Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly
known for her non- dating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this
certain boy she can't help but like. . .My friend recommended this book to
me. She told me that I HAD to read it because it was amazing. So, I went
and bought it. When I first read the synopsis at the back of the book I
thought: This is about a girl who decides that she's not going to date
another boy in her entire life. Not a love story? Let's see what this is
about... I LOVED it! When I started it I just couldn't stop reading!
Across the Universe (Across the Universe #1) by Beth Revis.
Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the
vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet,
three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that
her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon. Amy
quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer
malfunction. Someone, one of the few thousand inhabitants of the
spaceship tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her
parents will be next. Across the Universe is a hard book to describe.
Yes, it has that lovely cover that beckons everyone to read it. Yes, it
has an interesting premise. Yes, it has all these elements to make it a
brilliant read, something fresh and exciting.
Cloaked in Red by Vivian Vande Velde. So you think know the story of Little
Red Riding Hood, the girl with the unfortunate name and the inability to tell
the difference between her grandmother and a member of a different species?
Have you ever thought that the story of Little Red Riding Hood was kind of
lame? If so this is the book for you. The author in the beginning gives an
introduction of why she felt the need to give this fairy tale its due. To be honest
I always thought the story was boring and definitely left a lot to be desired.
Here we have a collection of stories that give a new take to Red. The stories
range from a creepy doll coming to life, all the way to a red cloak having a
mind of its own. Some are comical and others ironic. Good arrays of different
perspectives are presented here and I was pleasantly surprised.
My Unfair Godmother (My Fair Godmother #2) by Janette Rallison.
Tansy Miller has always felt that her divorced father has never had
enough time for her. But mistakenly getting caught on the wrong side of
the law wasn't exactly how she wanted to get his attention. Enter
Chrysanthemum "Chrissy" Everstar, Tansy's fairy in shining, er, high
heels. Chrissy is only a fair godmother, of course, so Tansy's three
wishes don't exactly go according to plan. It was so fun and just what I
was looking for. Rallison doesn't disappoint with this one if you've read
My Fair Godmother. It's just as funny, if not more, but with a different
girl, different problems and different wishes.
Legend by Marie Lu. In this dystopian young adult novel, the United
States of America, is now the Republic of the United States. This book
centers around June, a rich fifteen year old prodigy working as an agent
for the Republic, and Day, a hardcore criminal wanted all over the
Republic. However, Day isn’t really as malicious as everyone seems to
think he is. The Republic is almost constantly at war with its neighbors,
who are against the whole concept of having the Republic. Day and June
are so different, that they really have no reason to meet, until June’s
brother is supposedly killed by Day. June and Day find themselves stuck
chasing each other, as the book progresses. June begins hunting Day so
that she can avenge the death of her brother, and Day begins running, so
that he can ensure his family’s survival. These two have no need to be on
the same side, until they uncover the true secret of the republic.
Music Reviews:
Killing My Dreams
Elysion
Album: Silent Scr3am.While I was searching for some
great alternative/rock songs, I ended up on Elysion's
official website listening to little clips of their songs. The
one I ended up liking most is Killing My Dreams. I really
like the chorus and the vocals as well! Elysion is a great
artist to check out if you're interested in rock music with
really cool electronic parts.
9/10
Broken Pieces
Apocalyptica ft. Lacey Sturm
Album: 7th Symphony. Broken Pieces by
Apocalyptica features Lacey Sturm of Flyleaf. I
really like the orchestra throughout the song, but
mostly the cello at the very beginning. The lyrics,
in my opinion, are really nice and the vocals are
just perfect. Apocalyptica couldn't have found a
better person than Lacey! I would recommend this
to someone who likes rock and orchestral pieces.
10/10
Weight of the World
Evanescence
Album: The Open Door. Weight of the World comes from
the album "The Open Door", which is Evanescence's second
official album. After hearing it a couple times, I figured out
that my favorite part of it was the high C#6 (around 2:44 in
the album version) because even live, Amy Lee manages to
perform it perfectly! The lyrics also have a clear meaning. . .
I'm definitely buying this song!
10/10
I Knew You Were Trouble
Taylor Swift
Album: Red. One of the songs I've been hearing the most
on the radio is I Knew You Were Trouble by Taylor Swift.
In my opinion, I like the style of music she had a couple of
years ago, including her recent one Safe and sound. Her
style has completely changed, and I'm definitely more
interested in her old style of country music. Otherwise, the
music is okay and the lyrics are easy to understand.
8/10
Movie Reviews:
This movie was truly a joy for the audience. It was a perfect
blend of action and romance and the plot was timed in
perfect harmony with the sweet melody of this movie. The
overall theme that a person can change inside when it comes
to love is a true heartfelt understanding feeling for people
who watch this movie. As this human girl comes to love the
zombie named R, she begins to change not only him, but
other zombies around him. But for those who are not into
romance, this movie also entertains the action-goers. At
every corner there are the boney’s, or zombies who have lost
all human qualities and try to kill all humans. Their attacks
on the characters are sure to please the adventure seekers.
5 out of 5 stars
This exciting story brought to life is an interesting
remake of an old movie classic. With vivid colors and
bright surroundings, the audience feels as if they are
standing in a whole new world. This movie, shot not far
from Troy, in Michigan itself, had quite a beautiful set
design. While the scenery was mesmerizing, it was
clear to see that the special effects in this movie were
completely animated. The plot itself was well paced,
though some of the characters were a bit childish for the
remake. Though it is a good movie, it is not a must see
for many watchers.
3 out of 5 stars
Time to Rhyme!!
A New Beginning
By Abhi Krishnaraj
By Hareena Kaur
All the old gaffes – gone
Melted away, away from
memory
Never to be seen again
Something new is starting
A clean slate
Like the buds of the flowers
Waiting to bloom
Into something brilliant, into
something new
The past is irrelevant
It is no more
It’s time for a change
Change to grow
Spring Fragrance
Thought Process
By Niharika Dantuluri
Writing is like dreaming.
You can be anything you want to be.
Soar in the skies as long as you keep
believing,
Or speak of the wonders of the sea.
I think and think, but nothing seems to
be working,
By Sabrina Frasie
Until I step back and stop.
Because there is always something in
my mind, lurking,
Deep in my brain, ready to pop.
I can want one thing and need it,
But it just doesn’t help the process.
I just imagine and look until I get a hit,
Otherwise I’ll just get a mess.
I put it out of mind, because eventually,
I know if I just wait, I’ll find something
worthy.
By Nowshin Chowdhury
By Sree Jambunathan
The rain drizzles slowly as if
there is no tomorrow,
The trees dance to the rhythm of
the wind,
The sun shines bright,
The sky is as blue as ever,
The white clouds are shaped in
various, creative ways,
I notice a cloud that looks like a
bicycle,
Another looks like a ballerina,
The toddlers squeal after
splashing themselves in a puddle,
The flowers slowly bloom,
The grass is as green as a
leprechaun
The bees visit each flower
debating which honey they
should bring,
The spring breeze nourishes my
mind,
The wind chimes from a
distance balcony provide a
soothing rhythm,
The spring fragrance is an
amazing aroma.
Faith
By Jessica Lo
The demon within me
It causes me to worry, to envy, to hate
It sits on my mind and weighs me down
But I have to believe that there is a
demon in everyone, not just me
The darkness engulfs me
I can’t see the joy in things
I can’t escape theses dark thoughts
But I have to believe that life is not just
full of darkness, there is light
By Hareena Kaur
The time that passes
No matter what I may feel
No matter what may happen
I have to believe that one day happiness
will return to me, and fill this void
I have to believe in the brighter future
I have to believe in myself
By Deepika Bandarupalli
The Unnoticed
By Varmitha Hullathy
Ignored by the ignorant “normal” world,
Segregated as a lonesome from the “normal” people,
Deemed insane by the “normal” minds,
Sent away from the “normal” surroundings.
Where can they spill their vivid thoughts?
When they are locked up all alone like prisoners.
Who even spares their time to listen to them?
When there is a preconception to turn your back to their
words.
You call them “mentally challenged”?
Yes, they are mentally challenged to be different and
special,
Unlike the “normal” rotten tomatoes born with no
challenges,
They have to escape the imbalances created in this
“normal” dominant world.
You judge that they are abnormal?
Oh, really? Don’t you think you are abnormal too?
Just because it is invisibly hidden within you,
You would let the truth fade through.
Abandon the analysis, turn away from the treatments,
What one really needs is your support and your trust.
Make them believe that you care for them,
Set them free and let them flee in their own direction.
Seek the reasons behind their cries,
Stand by them and let their agonies pulverize.
Spectacle the patience and willingness to sacrifice your
time,
Shade away their fears of being undermined.
Trapped in an enclosure with delimited exposure,
Crammed into the restricted world without composure
Let them fly with their wings spread out,
Let them unleash the specialties embodied inside
them.
None of us were born less than the other,
Vow to look up to one another despite the differences.
Let them rejoice their share of elation in the world,
Let their distinctive voices to be heard.
Let them crystallize the journey of their own destiny,
Let them arise with the luminosity of firefly in their
doomed life.
The obscure circumstances in life might haunt us,
But the cure to the answers of survival lies within us.
Assumption that the medical accounts reveal it all,
But does it really say anything beyond the scientific
strings?
Does it have the capability to understand the sufferings?
The sufferings that only the human heart can empathize.
By Sabrina Frasie
Behind Bars
By: Sabrina Frasie
By Hareena Kaur
Spring
By Z’el Barnes
The only time in the year
where everything’s just right
No snow no falling leaves, no
cold nights
Everything awakes from its
long sleep
There is no more silence only
squeaks
The sound of birds chirping
away
Saying spring is here hurray
hurray
Squirrel running on telephone
lines quick as can be
All happy and joyful to finally
move free
Behind Bars
She notices everything
But doesn’t say a word
She watches carefully behind a foggy shield
She sees;
the way people talk
how they interact
She can see through their act
Silent
People look at her like some kind of circus animal
like she's behind bars
which she is, but is freer than anyone else
And for a minute her throat feel like it has a lump
of pills stuck in it
but she shakes it off
Tears are foreign on her face
Hibernation
By Z’el Barnes
As the sun rises from the dark abyss
It spreads its warmth like a good
mornings kiss
Walking all the creatures big and
small
Telling them it’s time to stand tall
No longer sleeping for months on end
For the time in the sunlight you will
spend
Walk of Silence
By Niharika Dantuluri
Alone in the Wild
One light step after another,
By Brittany J
Following the hidden dance before me.
He sat there, alone in the wild,
A pure white blanket creases under my shoes,
Nothing but light around him.
As I push through the tender arches.
Then the wind came, quite mild.
Snap, Crunch, Silence.
And the light went dim.
My eye glances down to catch a glimpse of crystal water,
The sun set
Flooding with secrets enclosed for the spring.
I pause and wait and linger in the weak middle,
The sun glittering over the tall branches,
Repeating the movements of an unforgotten choreography.
Snap, Crunch, Silence.
One foot sinks into the snow as my pathway ends.
Silence.
And he wished he was home.
So he went to the island he met,
A long, long time ago.
Boom! came from the sky.
Earth became a firework!
The man thought he would die,
So he hid in the nearest cave.
A frosty breath fades from my vision.
But beautiful colors cover the blue,
The teacher calls,
And the magic is broken.
And stars started to dance,
So the man did, too.
He was stuck in the aurora trance.
By Hareena Kaur
Short Stories:
The End by Erika Chow
It was a gloomy, autumn afternoon.
She liked the season, usually so full of color. However, that day the sun was
covered up by the clouds overhead and she wasn’t in a good mood. As she drove
along the backcountry road, she began to get the feeling that the world around her
felt the same. There was no movement, no sign of life whatsoever - the occasional
autumn breeze was nowhere to be found nor the solemn songs of birds.
It would have been a good day to stay home.
Yet, for some reason, she found herself traveling out to see some relative she
didn’t even know. And just her luck, this relative lived out in the middle of no
man’s land – fantastic. Part of her really wanted to turn around and drive home. If
she hadn’t already told her relatives she’d be coming she would have already
started the long drive back. She truly dreaded what the day had in store for her.
For some reason, things didn’t feel quite right.
It was in that instant that she noticed the black car next to her, cruising along
the same country road as she was. She didn’t remember seeing another car
anywhere near her, yet he was driving at the same casual speed she was –
comfortably below the speed limit, but not going so slow as to obstruct any traffic.
In a moment of curiosity, she looked over at the driver next to her and was
surprised to see that he was staring back at her.
There was an ominous intensity in his eyes that sent a chill up her spine.
Though that might have been enough to deter others right away, she found
that she just couldn’t take her eyes away from his. She felt so suddenly locked,
enraptured, in his stare. It made her feel almost uncomfortable, and yet she was
completely calm. She didn’t know how to describe it.
It was just weird.
It was like he had casted some allure over her as outlandish as that seemed.
When she finally did look away, she had to swerve sharply in order to avoid
driving right off of the road. Her tires squealed against the pavement and she had to
bite back a scream. The black car was still cruising along in her peripheral vision.
He didn’t seem to have been affected at all.
Her heart was still pounding in her ears when she stole another quick glance
at the stranger driving beside her. This time, she was met with another surprise. He
was holding up a piece of paper with a roughly scribbled message written on it. It
was just big enough for her to see from the driver’s seat.
NICE DAY, ISN’T IT?
She returned her eyes to the road for a quick second to make sure she wasn’t
going to have a near-death scare like before. Confirming that she had plenty of
unbending road ahead of her, she scanned the jumble of random items on her
passenger seat for anything to write on and to write with. She had to lean over to
dig through the all of the junk, but eventually found a slightly abused notebook and
a cheap-looking, black pen.
Keeping one hand on the wheel, she pulled the cap of the pen off with her
teeth and scrawled her response onto the notebook in her lap. She then recapped
the pen and held the notepad up to her window for him to see. A subconscious
smile grew on his lips.
YEAH, I GUESS IT IS
However, the second she held it up to the window, it struck her how strange
her response was. No, it wasn’t a nice day. It was gloomy and depressing –
anything but nice. So why did she agree with him? Before she could ponder any
more about it, he was already holding up another piece of paper.
WHERE ARE YOU HEADED?
It was simple small talk – silly, really. In any other situation, what they were
doing would have been extremely reckless and stupid. Had they been anywhere but
on an empty country road, she would have thought he had a death wish. Despite it
all, she quickly wrote her answer down onto a fresh page in the notebook and held
it up.
TO SEE SOME RELATIVES
She tastefully left out the fact that she was completely dreading the trip and
instead directed her time and energy to flipping a page and writing another
message down. She held it up to him with a friendly smile on her face.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
When she lowered the notebook, she saw that he was writing his own
response and decided to turn her focus back to the road for a moment – just to
make sure she wasn’t going to drive off into a ditch. She looked back at him when
she realized he was holding the paper up to the window.
NOWHERE, REALLY
That was strange.
However, she tried not to let it bother her. He probably just lived in the area
and was out for a drive. Maybe he had gotten into a fight with his girlfriend and
needed to blow off some steam. Then again, there really wasn’t anything for miles
upon miles of road either way. Still, she decided not to think on it.
She looked over at the black car only to find that it was no longer next to
her. Panicking for a moment, she frantically looked around wondering where he
could have gone only to find him slightly behind her – near her blind spot. He had
slowed down, and yet he’d kept pace with her so well up until that point. The
change had been so sudden that it caught her off guard and she couldn’t help the
frown that played on her face in reaction.
Had it been what she said? No, it couldn’t have been. After all, he had asked
her first. It was just common courtesy to ask him as well, or so she thought. She
wasn’t familiar with this area. Maybe they had a different way of doing things out
here in the country. Had she been rude then? She shook her head at herself at the
sheer ridiculousness of her current train of thought. It was pointless to dwell, so
she kept driving and tried not to dwell on what she didn’t know.
It really was a stupid thing to get all hung up about anyway.
It had been several minutes and he was still drifting somewhere behind her.
She was trying to think of something – anything she could say – that may rekindle
the simple conversation they had been having, but she couldn’t think of anything to
say. Any ideas that she thought of she decided against. Maybe he’d take some kind
of offense to those too. Caught in the limbo she’d trapped herself in, she drove on –
unable to do anything but unsatisfied with doing nothing.
In any case, she didn’t have to flounder for very long.
The loud roar of a car engine ripped her out of her thoughts as the familiar
black car sped up to pull up right next to her. She looked over at him, sending him
a questioning look. To her surprise, he already had a note held up to the window.
This time, though, the note looked rushed – frantic even. It was nowhere near as
neat as the others had been.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT OBLIVION?
It was such a random question, and frankly, she didn’t know how to answer
it. She looked at him quizzically, wondering if he really expected her to answer.
But she didn’t want to leave his question without a response, so she reached for the
notebook that had been discarded back onto her passenger seat. Before she even
had the chance to grab it, she noticed he was already holding up another message.
HAVE YOU EVER WISHED TOMORROW WOULD NEVER COME?
“What?!” She said out loud, even though she knew he couldn’t hear her. She
was only vaguely aware of the fact that they were driving across a bridge. She was
only partially in tune with the hollow look in his eyes and the way his trembling
hands were holding onto the wheel. She was only slightly alert to the utter dread
and solemnity written all over his face. He was holding up another page before she
could so much as even think about how she might respond to a question like that.
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY YOU EXIST?
She could only watch now, as he showed her his messages. There was
nothing to say, and on some strange, intuitive level she knew that he didn’t want
her to say anything.
HAVE YOU EVER WISHED FOR…
Everything seemed to suddenly happen so fast, and yet time seemed to slow
down.
THE END?
Before she could even so much as blink, he swerved his car off of the bridge
and into the frigid water below.
The Walk by Needa Toofany
It was dark when he left the big, cold, crowded stone building. Walked out of there no big deal – the guards
were drunk. He saw his chance.
He walked a long way down the unpaved, dank road, feet getting cut on sharp rocks, sliced open
on broken glass. It was a long way out, but he would continue the walk.
In the night, only the harsh cries of feral black birds could be heard. The surroundings rustled,
hissed, and came to life after the warmth of the day had departed. In its place, it left a harsh,
unwelcoming blanket of despair.
They fed them their own guilt in that cold, crowded building, their own sin, made them eat it, feel
it, taste it. The skeletons in their closets had been hung up on display for all to see, hung up like clothes on
a line.
But he, he had it all figured out. A reformed man, he thought to himself. Sick of the misery, of the
brutality. Of the chance he would never have been given to start over, stuck in that cramped little stone
room for the remainder of his life.
So he created his own chance.
A new start, a new beginning.
Said goodbye to the ghosts of his past.
The path seemed as though it stretched on forever. And it did. He walked miles and miles, looking
for something, anything, his feet lacerated, his sins leaking out dark red from the soles of his feet.
It came to a point where he ended up in a large clearing, finally unsure of where to go.
But then, it happened.
A little girl, not more than seven or eight, appeared in the clearing. She was crying, sobbing,
distressed over the fact that it was dark and she couldn’t find her parents.
A tearful, weak, helpless sight.
The gears began to whir.
He stepped closer and closer to her, his mental façade clouding his brain fading with each step,
and put his hand on her shoulder.
Startled, she looked up.
“Are you lost? Perhaps I could… help you.”
She smiled.
So innocent.
“I… I’d sure like that, Mister.”
He smiled too, a sickening, horrible smile that hadn’t been seen for years.
“Come with me.”
Of Agony by Erika Chow
“911, what’s your emergency?”
And yet she couldn’t will herself to speak.
It should have been so easy, but she couldn’t even bring herself to
muster so much as a sound. It was as if the simple function of speech had
been stripped from her. There were no words that could explain – no
sentence or effortless phrase that could make it all better. Then again,
what could really be said at all?
“Hello? Is anyone there?”
Maybe.
At one point there might have been someone there, in that cold
apartment room. Maybe someone loved, someone cherished, someone
who knew there was a future beyond what could be seen with the naked
eye and simple perception. Maybe, in some obscure, alternate reality,
that person still existed. Maybe that person had moved out of that
shabby apartment because the bank held sufficient funds for a better
place of living. Maybe that person had created a family of their own – a
loving spouse and adoring children. Maybe, if that person existed
somewhere out there, the world didn’t seem like such a dark place to
them.
But how can one deny such a simple truth?
“I… I’m here.”
And finally, as she found words, it seemed like the world around
her slowly began to fall apart. She could feel the walls around her start
to break down. Suddenly she felt so small, so alone, in that dark
apartment room. Any warmth she felt before was gone – turned tail and
ran before there was any chance for reconciliation.
It left her bitter – utterly cold.
It was an unfortunate world that would let its own patrons destroy
it. The human race had become a wild, unpredictable, and stupid enough
species to slowly murder the only thing keeping them alive. The planet
could only take so much, and they were blind to the chaos they left in
their wake. Yet the sweet voice of the dispatcher on the other end of the
line might have been enough to save her from the pit she was slowly
beginning to fall into.
“What’s your emergency, miss?”
There had been a point in her life when she would have called
herself religious. She had gone to church like any noble woman would
and had praised the Lord with every fiber of her being. Life had been
simple back then – back when sins could be as easily forgotten as the
morning dew. During this time she had the belief that this God could
save her life – bring her salvation from the terrible world she was
trapped in. However, time had marched on, and slowly but surely, she
realized there was no way a being such as God could exist. After all,
what God would let his precious creations destroy themselves? What God
would exist in the land of the forsaken? What God would tell his disciples
it is a sin to take lives, yet do nothing as they slaughter?
If a God really did exist, she didn’t want anything to do with him.
But maybe the creator isn’t really the one to blame here.
After all, how can the captain command his ship through the
insubordination of his men? Even the most loyal of dogs will turn tail
when tables turn. Men only trust each other as far as they can throw,
and for most that isn’t very far.
Isn’t the real problem man itself?
Men fight wars in the name of peace. They preach, but don’t
practice. They create rules to hinder each other so that one may not
exceed the other. They spend so much time trying to keep themselves in
the front of the pack that they can’t even provide food for those below
them. The corrupt cycle doesn’t have an end. Those with the power to do
so don’t wish to.
Humankind can never get enough.
They had been given everything from knowledge to compassion,
but that hadn’t been sufficient. Adam and Eve had been handed
paradise and yet the one thing they decided to take was the one thing
forbidden to them. When man had realized he couldn’t climb the
mountain, he had destroyed it. When the forest had gotten in his way, he
had chopped it down. When his sloth had gotten the better of him, he had
invented tools to make everything easier. And yet, none of that had been
enough. For even when man had everything wrapped around his finger,
there was still one more thing he wanted.
He had already taken so much, so why not take it all?
“There’s… there’s been a suicide.”
Her voice shook. She couldn’t help it. It had become too much. The
mere thought of it all made her want to shrivel up and hide away from
the criticizing eyes of the world. She felt so small, and perhaps in the
grand scheme of things she was. She was only a single person, in a single
apartment, living in a single city, in a single country. How much of a
difference would her life really make in the world?
“Who’s the victim?”
What man wants, he’ll take.
And not even God will stop him.
“Me.”
Infinity by Needa Toofany
Infinity.
Does anything last for infinity?
Cities crumble.
Empires fall.
People grow old, and die.
Infinity.
Such a strange concept.
But I understand it. As in… what if everything was infinite? What if we never grew old?
What if plants never died, if the sun never went down, if friendships never were broken?
If the skies always stayed blue, the air always crisp, the birds always sang, and people
were always happy? What a dream that would be. Some may even call it perfection,
perhaps.
Perfection, always. Smooth skin, soft hair, youth and liveliness, forever.
Infinite perfection. Heaven.
Doesn’t it sound like a dream?
To you, perhaps.
I cannot count the number of days that I had wished, hoped, prayed to live in heaven.
To experience bliss and perfection forever. I remember my mother telling me about
heaven, about how nice it would be there, how I should be a good little girl throughout
my life in order to get there.
I guess we should all be careful for what we wish for.
I died young, at the age of twelve, still an innocent child. All children go to heaven, my
mother said.
And I did. I ended up here. It was everything everyone had ever told me about heaven;
perfect, blissful, and always happy. But I’m still twelve. On the outside, at least. They
didn’t even lie about being youthful forever.
But here, all I see are young people. Nobody’s over the age of eighteen, maybe. Not a
single blemish or sunburn strikes anyone, and not a single hair is out of place on the
glossy, full heads of hair everyone has.
How I long to see a gray hair, wrinkles, a liver spot or scar on someone. How I long to
see those couples who age and grow old together. I want to see different colors of skin,
to see freckles, to see overweight and underweight people. I want to see imperfection,
to see reality.
My mommy also said that all good people deserve heaven.
Is this what good people deserve?
I want to escape, find a way out.
But I can’t.
I’ll be here for infinity.
The Contract by Erika Chow
He didn’t do it because he liked it.
He did it because he had to.
Life was a cutthroat business. If one knew where to look they could find a
bounty on just about anyone’s head. No one was who they appeared to be. At any
given moment there were probably several substance abusers or sexual offenders
within eyeshot. Despite what the press told the people, the world was a dark,
demonic place contaminated with more prostitutes, drug dealers, and murderers
than decent citizens. The world was cloaked in a sick fantasy dreamed up by the
few big shots who were disgusted with the monster they created.
If one wasn’t born into life with power, they would never gain any power.
That was just how the cards were dealt. If one was so unfortunate to be born
without a penny to their name, then that’s all they would ever be - worthless. No
one in that kind of world had any more than the clothes on their back. No one
could afford to keep more than they could carry.
In a world like that, killing was the only way to survive.
Lessons were learned quickly on the streets. It was either kill or be killed in
a place where the man with the bigger knife didn’t necessarily come out on top. In
the kind of life he lived, he couldn’t even be sure whether or not he would wake
up in the morning. Should someone come by and slit his throat while he was
sleeping, there really wasn’t anything he would be able to do about it. The
aristocratic city dwellers wouldn’t even be able to imagine that, yet, it was his life.
That was how it had always been and would be. He was a man with a certain skill
set – one that men with power often fancied.
He had to kill.
There was no other way to live.
He had been given a job. It was simple: get in and get out. There was
nothing new or special about it. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that
this was not how the average person should view such a thing, he couldn’t deny
that he did. It was just business. There was nothing strange or inhumane about it.
At nothing but the pure thought of what lie in the future, his stomach
fluttered in the anticipation of it all. There was nothing between him and his
target except for time. He couldn’t wait until he got the money for his efforts. He
hadn’t had a decent meal in days.
He had to kill.
That was the only reason.
The kill was gruesome. The body lay slumped against the back of the chair.
The person could have been napping, if it had not been for the large splotch of
red down the front of his white, collared shirt. It hadn’t been a very hard kill –
just some civilian that was wanted dead by people willing to pay a high enough
price. In the eye of an expert the kill was sloppy, messy - unnecessarily so. He
could have done it better, cleaner, and less obvious.
He wasn’t like that.
Killing was his business. He did it because he had to. That was all there was
to it. There was nothing pleasant about his line of work – about what he had to
do to survive. There was nothing satisfying about murdering the innocents
around him who, by pure scorn of fate, spurred the wrath of the wrong kind of
people. He was above petty murder… but who was he really fooling?
He just couldn’t help himself.
His blade had carved through the body like butter. It was almost
mesmerizing the way the crimson liquid had flowed out of his victim, free from
any and all constraints. The look of horror frozen on the victim’s face when that
sudden realization that death was not as far as he had hoped made his heart flutter
in joy and pure ecstasy. The pure domination he felt was too good for words to
describe.
He killed. He was a killer.
Why should there be something wrong to something that felt so right?
There could be no sin in being what he was meant to be. He murdered in cold
blood and he’d be a fool if he said he didn’t enjoy every single second of it.
He didn’t kill because he had to.
He killed because he wanted to.
It was just that simple, yet there was something so much more to it all –
some bigger picture that had yet to crawl out from the shadows. Why should he
be bound by the petty rules set before him by the imbeciles who thought they led
the world? He was greater than that. No one could contain him. If he was too
much for them to handle, why should he follow the laws that they follow?
He was above everyone else.
So why even wait for a contract?
More Beautiful by Matt Jewell
Day after day, he watched the life drain out of his grandfather. Every day was filled
with endless doubt and he asked himself, “Is today the day he will take his final breath?”
Every night before going to bed he would go to his grandfather, and after kissing him on his
shiny, bald head, would receive a raspberry on his cheek followed by a wide, loving smile. If
he could, he would save that memory of the loving smile forever, but every day he feared
that the memory of it would fade from his head.
During the summer time, when school was not in session, he would go to the couch
where his grandfather lay and watch his aged chest move steadily up and down. He would
listen to the hiss of his grandfather’s breathing machine and watch his grandfather sleep.
His grandfather seemed at peace as his eyes were shut firmly and his body still and relaxed.
Is this what it would look like when his grandfather died?
No. He thought as he touched his grandfather’s freckled arm and felt the warm of his
skin. No. In death there would be no breathing machine serving as a constant reminder of
his grandfather’s illness. In death there would be no warmth in his grandfather’s hairy arm.
In death there would be no raspberries blown on his cheek. There was nothing in death.
Death is no fair.
And yet there was everything in death. Death would bring relief to his sorrowful
Grandmother who cried at the slightest event anymore. Death would bring relief to an ill
man who could barely breathe and lead a life anymore. Death would bring peace in the
loving arms of Jesus.
The last time he saw his grandfather was an early morning in September before he
went to school. See, his grandfather lived in Florida and only came to Michigan during the
summer and it was time for him to return home. Before heading out the door to start his
day, he looked back at his grandfather and watched his chest rise and fall for a few minutes.
He couldn’t bear to see that chest still and felt as if it would be still at any moment. He
wanted to turn, to leave the house and hold his emotion inside and pretend that he would
see his Grandpa next summer. Many times he had convinced himself that his Grandpa was
simply too strong to die. But a new sensation filled his heart bringing him to silent tears; a
sensation of finality, an understood notion. His grandfather would die soon.
He opened the door to walk out of the house and was met with a blast of cool, sweet
air emanating from the bustling world outside. He could hear the birds chirping happily in
the trees and could see the grand orange, red, and yellow display of the rising sun.
Although life leads to death, isn’t life more beautiful for it? After all, if life didn’t die, would
life really be that special?
As he looked back at his grandfather who was lying sprawled on the couch, he gave a
final sniff and whispered, “Goodbye grandpa, I love you will all my heart.”
He walked out into the bustling, vibrant world.
General and Opinion Pieces:
TED Talks: The Most Inspiring
Podcasts You’ll Ever Hear.
by Prathusha Yeruva
TED is a non-profit organization cultivated from Ideas worth Spreading.
In 1984, it started simply as a conference to bring three major ideas toget
her.Those three ideas were Technology, Entertainment, and Design (TE
D). TED is now bigger than it has ever been, and attracts millions of
viewers around the world.
TED believes in spreading ideas among everyone. They live in the hope
that these ideas will change the world for the better. TED’s mission is to
build a free community that can covey inspiration, theories, and simply
knowledge to everyone, straight from the world’s most inspired people.
The two annual TED conferences are held on the North American West
Coast and Edinburgh, Scotland. At those conferences, the world’s most
interesting thinkers give one talk about their whole career, in less than
eighteen minutes. It is a marvel to watch. Luckily you don’t have to pay
to watch TED Talks. They are all posted to TED Talk’s website and
youtube channel as soon as they occur. There are currently more than
14,000 Talks, subtitled to many different languages that you can access
at www.ted.com. You can also find several free podcasts from resources
like iTunes.
There are also several other TED conferences/communities. TED
springtime conference is held annually on the West Coast of the US,
engages in topics such as science, Business, the arts, and other global
issues. In this conference fifty speaker for 18 minutes each, in four days.
Don’t worry, TED conferencesare always recorded and put on the
website! Another TED community is TEDActive. It is a community of
inquisitive and animated leaders who spend a wonderful week watching
TED Talks and then sparking fueled conversation. TEDGlobal is the
Summer conference. It is somewhat like TEDSpring, but it takes a much
more global perspective. It was previously held in places like Oxford,
England and Arusha, Tanzania.
TEDGlobal is now annually held in Edinburgh, Scotland. Another
talk that TED participates in is TEDx. TEDx is similar to other TED
conferences, but it had one major difference. TEDx is not hosted directly
by TED, for example a recent TEDx was held at Caltech, this month.
TEDx is mostly held by universities and other community- based
organizations.
The TED prize is awarded to the one bold leader who is believed to
posses the most inspiring, creative way to spark a change in our world. It
is not a very easy prize to award. The Winner is given $1 million to help
inspire others with her/his wish.
TED is more than all the conferences it holds. Those are all vital to
the experience, but it’s really more about what you can extract from
TED. It’s about the Ideas that from inside of you today, that give you the
power to change the World tomorrow.
The First Ever Latin American Pope
By: Aditya Yelamanchi
IAE Junior 11th Grade
Once the black smoke transformed into a white puff, a historical
event in the Roman Catholic Church had occurred. With its recent
troubles with affairs and abuses, as well as the resignation of Pope
Benedict IV (the first resignation of a pope in nearly 600 years), the
Catholic Church has made many headlines with its selection. Often
referred to as “a pope of the poor”, Jorge Mario Bergolio was elected as
the new pope on Wednesday March 13, 2013. Pope Francis, as he has
commonly known, constantly remains humble, wearing common man
clothing, living in a small apartment, and taking the bus to work.
Already his election has changed things to the traditional papacy.
He refused to use a platform to speak above the other cardinals while
being introduced to the world and asked for the 150,000 Catholics
present to pray for him “in silence”. He even went against tradition and
washed the feet of a dozen inmates for the Easter holidays, including the
feet of a Muslim woman. In my opinion, these changes by Pope Francis
not only show the unity of the Catholic people, but also set an example of
unity for people of different cultures and backgrounds. He represents the
goodness of people who suffer in harsh times, and exhibits the
characteristics of a real leader. We will have to wait and see what he will
do next to show that he truly is a faithful man who believes everyone
should be treated equally, no matter what gender, religion, race, or
cultural background.
Sports:
Are Professional Athletes Overpaid?
By: Aditya Yelamachi, IAE Junior, 11th grade
Should the professionals who perform only to entertain the crowd be paid over
10 times as much as the average national income. The average football player makes
about 2 million dollars, but there is always the debate of whether they deserve this
money that others work just as hard for. On one hand police, firefighters, or the armed
services work hard to save the lives of the citizens and put their lives at risk on a daily
basis, while basketball players can have a guaranteed salary even if they get injured and
don’t play. Jamarcus Russel, the former No.1 pick for the ’07 draft of the NFL was
guaranteed $31 million, even though he didn’t even perform to the level he was drafted
for. Is it right that he gets this much money before even starting his job, while President
Obama roughly makes around $400,000 for trying to revive the entire American
economy?
On the other hand, professional athletes bring out the best of our capabilities that
many of us cannot even ponder upon. Could you imagine being hit in the head with a
force of 200 Gs, or about how hard football players hit each other? To give you a little
perspective, a 20 Gs force is a 13 pound bowling ball hitting you while traveling 20
mph. Of course football players wear helmets, but it can only lessen the force of getting
hit by so much. Not only do they put themselves at risk every day, they also work very
hard and face eating on strict diets to perform at the high levels we each pay to watch.
This brings me to my next point. If we thought they don’t deserve so much money, why
would millions of Americans spend billions of dollars to attend football, basketball,
hockey, or other sporting events? Obviously there is something special about what they
do to attract so many fans day in and out, and the publicized events only add pressure
to how well they perform. In the end, there are caps and other ways to limit the salaries
if necessary.
Surely the debate will continue on this issue, but I feel like in some cases both
sides are right. I definitely don’t think that there should be a guaranteed salary, even if
players do not perform to expectation (such as Jamarcus Russel and his “bust” career).
However, just to watch these amazing stars take the field while I sit in the comfort of
my couch and munch on potato chips is something I would pay for (if it’s a good game).
Members of our Wonderful TAB
The Troy Public Library Teen Advisory Board (TAB) members meet twice a month to
plan and promote teen programs, offer suggestions on how to make the library better
for teens, discuss books, eat snacks and have fun! TAB members earn volunteer
experience that will look great on a resume.
The TAB members are:
"I love reading and writing, and TAB has been a great club to be in!
My favourite authors include Dan Brown, Meg Cabot, and of course,
J.K. Rowling. I have a close, but complicated relationship with
chocolate." Julia M., 14
"I love reading, writing, and playing, arranging, and composing
music! In fact, I'm learning the piano right now, and already know
flute, bari sax, alto sax, and I'm also learning French horn. The
picture is of me volunteering at the Winter Wonderland book sale
on behalf of TAB. In case you can't see, I'm painting a little red
car. I think it was one of the only cars I painted the entire day."
Sirisha B.
"I'm a sophomore and I currently attend the International Academy
East! My favorite hobbies include working on art and DIY projects,
listening to music, playing tennis, watching T.V and hanging out
with my friends. I joined TAB because it's really fun and I love to
plan events and I also get to meet people. If TAB is something you
are thinking of being a part of, you should go for it." Deepika B.,
15
"I spend most of my time on the internet, listening to Alternative Rock
music (especially Evanescence), and playing the Viola. I joined TAB
because it was something fun to do after school, and I could see
people I both know and don't know." Rameesha S., 13
"HI! I am a freshman at Troy High School. My role in TAB is I am
part of the editorial board. I try and make as many contributions to
TAB. I am a very well rounded person. I have multiple academic
achievements, and I am involved in JV tennis at THS. I have been
learning Bharathanaytam since I was seven years old. I also learned
Classical music for five years. I am a very talkative and energetic
person. So don’t feel afraid if you have any questions. It was very
nice meeting all of you and hope you guys join TAB one day!"
Nihitha N.
"I am involved in track & field at Troy High. I joined TAB because I
love meeting new people and planning events for teens. I want our
voices to be heard in the Troy community. I am currently the
secretary of TAB." Sree J., 14
"I like to play soccer with friends and tennis for Athens. I joined
TAB because I wanted to plan events and meet other cool teens
around Troy." Aditya Y., 17
"I love playing viola, drawing, and reading. Being a part of TAB is
an amazing experience.
I'm so glad to be a part of it!" Nick R., 17
"My hobbies include reading and playing the viola. I joined TAB
because I like organizing library events and making new friends."
Prathusha Y., 13
"Hi! :) I’m a marketing officer in TAB. My favorite hobbies are doing
gymnastics and talking to people. I joined TAB because
it seemed very fun and I love meeting new people!" Sonia P., 15
"I love music, dance, and animals. I joined Teen Advisory Board
because I enjoy being a part of the community, promoting the
library, and the people who visit it." Anusri Y., 14
“My favorite movies are Pitch Perfect and Argo and I like to play
with my miniature labradoodle in my free time. I joined TAB
because I love to be involved with events and getting to know other
teens.” Hareena K., 15
"Hello Everyone! I am currently a sophomore at Troy High School. I
also currently serve as the president of Troy's Teen Advisory Board.
TAB is very important to me and I believe to our community
because it helps build a solid infrastructure for today's
adolescents. " Arushi M., 15
“I'm going to be a sophomore at IA. I love to play tennis and
volleyball. I am also a dancer. TAB is a huge part in what I do
because it is really fun and gets you engaged in library events
and activities.” –Poshitha B., 14
Submissions:
Let your voice be heard!
Want to see your work in the next edition of The Zine? Submit your writing and visual art to
[email protected]
Please make sure your submissions are:
-original
-well-crafted
-under 10 pages long (short stories)
-appropriate for a teenage audience
The board reserves the right to edit accepted pieces and to deny pieces that do not fit the
guidelines.
For the next issue, we will be accepting 5 poems and 3 short stories per writer. Happy creating!