Page 32 - The Muse 2019-20 Issue

worried faces. I even heard one of them say that they could be killed for what they were doing. As soon as the loud jets started and I could tell the plane took off, I quickly became aware that the plane was unbearably hot and ridiculously dark. At many points during the flight I was certain I was going to die because of the stiff air that made it very hard to breathe. I could tell Emil was also suffering because of the soft whimpering noises he made signaling to me he was crying. I decided not to mention this so I wouldn’t hurt his manly ego. After what seemed like an eternity, I heard the plane hit the floor and the jets slow. Then the big white door was opened, and oxygen came flowing in, immediately flushing me with pure joy. I ran to the light and was bewildered.
America was cool and beautiful, and I was only looking at the airport. I looked up at Emil and he was laughing, I could tell in his eyes that he was just as happy as I was. I then began to cry, overwhelmed with happiness and fear. A very unusual looking man led us to a car which we stayed in for at least two hours. But it was worth it, because when we arrived, I decided that the city around me was by far the most amazing place I had ever seen. Everything was tall and clean looking, there were men and women walking swiftly about. Emil told me we were in New York City, one of the most treasured cities in America. I was so happy I began to dance around on the streets, later joined by Emil. We were dancing to the music of an old man’s drums on the street. At this moment I didn’t care about where we would or how we would get jobs, I was just happy to be living in such an amazing place. Still, Emil told me we would be living in a small apartment on the outskirts of New York City, it sounded perfect.
A yellow car brought us into a small but busy neighborhood. There were some stores selling food and some people sitting on the steps of houses. We climbed two flights of stairs into a small room. The room was light blue with a bed in the center and a worn-out rug by the window. It looked like a perfect home for Emil and me. We set down our things and went for a stroll around our new neighborhood. We ate strange food, talked to kind people, and deeply enjoyed the cool air. We actually came upon a store with TVs set up by the window. I enjoyed watching a commercial about hair products and thought it was funny that people could make money off of such a thing. I turned around to see Emil playing with a big white dog. He looked so happy. I looked up and thought to myself, this is my new life. This is America.
The Letter
by Lucas Wilson-Bevington
7th Grade
Blue Ribbon
“James, you’re such a loser! You’re not good at anything.”
When my friend, Martin, said that to me, it broke my heart, but it was true. I was not good at anything. I was barely passing my classes, and I felt like I had no friends. On top of that, my teachers were mean. Well, all my teachers were mean except my English teacher. She encouraged me to work hard, and it was almost like... she ACTUALLY CARED. But that did not change the fact that I was terrible at everything.
I was at my breaking point when I finally told my mom about classmates bullying me. You might think she would say what any typical mom would say. “You can overcome the bullies. They’re no better than you, or they’re just jealous.”
But that’s not my mom. My mom is in her own world. All she did was write all day. She said to me exactly what I’d expected, “I don’t want to hear it, James. Just go back to doing your homework.” Now I knew I had only one option. I decided to go to the one person that I knew cared about me. My teacher, Mrs. Elle.
32