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By Baxton Ling

You know that everybody knows I am very passionate about hockey, but let me tell you how I started hockey, how I became a hockey player, how I survived my Coach Dracula and how my team dominated the Junior Rangers Cup right before the pandemic. I am LING, number 23 from Aviator.

When I was five years old I learned how to skate at a pop up ice skating rink in my neighborhood with my preschool friends. To my own surprise, I learned how to skate in less than 2 days and in less than two weeks I learned how to play hockey! Then I attended some programs to learn how to skate and play hockey better. One day after practice the coach at my program said to me, “You are a good skater, you should go to this hockey program. It is called Aviator, that program will help you a lot with your development.”

I will never forget that MLK weekend in 2017, it was my game changing moment. My parents took me to Aviator for a tryout for their Hockey program, the coach told my parents he needed to talk to them afterwards and my parents thought I was in big trouble. After the tryout, we followed the coach to the locker room. He got down on one knee (fun fact: that’s a typical hockey player stance) and said to me, “You are a very good skater, I see a lot of potential in you and I want you to be on my team.” I was awestruck, I did not know what to even say. He handed me my very first jersey and said to me, “You will be a great player one day.” I am a real hockey player now, I have my own number. I am LING #23 from Aviator.

My first year in Mites we had a russan coach, he is kind of old, I think he is in his 70s but he can skate like Flash on ice. He is also very tall and skinny, his face is wrinkly and a little pale. He rarely smiles and he roars so loud whenever he gets mad so I named him Coach Dracula. (Fun fact: he always wears a hat whenever we see him, rain or shine). He is very strict and I never liked it when he yelled at me so I do my very best every time I am on the ice. At our last game of the season, Coach Dracula said to us, “Dream big and don’t let anyone steal your dream.” He calls me his little Tiger on the ice and that’s my boost for every game. I will not fail my Coach Dracula, I will crash the net and slam my opponents at every game!

Just right before the Pandemic, my team got invited to the Junior Rangers Cup. At first I was in shock because I did not expect another tournament at the end of the season. I was also thrilled because the winning teams get to play at Madison Square Garden. Madison Square garden is the home of my favorite hockey team, the New York Rangers. I did not expect my team to win the exhibition rounds but we did! We are going to the championship games at Madison Square Garden on March 1, 2020, yeah baby! It was a once in a lifetime experience to play a real hockey game at Madison Square Garden, I did not expect to bring home the Cup but we did. That night was magical, we won every single game. I thought we were going to lose the final game but one of my teammates tied the game with an astonishing backhand goal when there was only 25 seconds left in the game. Then we beat the other team during the shootout. Our parents were ecstatic, I could see them jumping and screaming at the top of their lungs from the bench. The best part of that night was when Adam Graves gave us our medals as if we were real NHL players. By the way, Adam Graves is an allstar player, he won 3 Stanley cups in a row. There was more, just like in real NHL games a man in black suit wearing white gloves handed us our very first Junior Rangers Cup. Our names will also be engraved on the Cup and it will be displayed at Madison Square Garden for years to come.

I am Ling #23 from Aviator and I am the first Ling to set foot on Madison Square Garden’s ice hockey rink, and also the first to win the Junior Rangers Cup! This memoir is important to me because it reminds me of the people that guided me along the journey and got me closer to my dream of being on the Princeton Hockey team!

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          I Survived The Bike Crashes of November 5th
By Alex Pardo

 “Can I hang out with Asher and Nathaniel? ''I  begged my mom as she was picking me up from school. Surprisingly my mom said yes. The next thing I knew I was on my bike at the park. I get off and play basketball with an asher.  I turned around and Nathaniel's bike was zooming towards me. It hit me. I look like Hamilton in the play! I fell down, my stomach in pain as if I was shot by a pistol with a 22.4 bullet (this was a bike “hit” not “crash”). Nathanile moves his bike and goes on his bike. I get up holding my stomach and I get on my bike with a burning hate. I chase nathale. I zoom around the track nathaniel in my sights like a TIE fighter pilot  so close that everything is silent. Something bad is about to happen. I slow down i think to myself “that happens in movies this is life” i keep going faster there are sparks  they disappeared I get 4 feet away from nathaniel 3 feet 2 feet 1 foot  I slow down

 “I am going to get you Nathaniel!”, I snapped. I go around the track at Dean park 10   times, each time faster than the last. my bike locks and I try to turn. I see a vision of what to do. I go to the side for less of an impact, blood rushing to my head, I see death himself, “NO I am not going to die not today.,” I shouted in my head. I snapped into action jumping off the bike landing on the ground with my bike coming down on me. I launched my hand out to stop it. I got less of an impact.RRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG I hear a ringing I am seeing blurry and double everything looks smokey like a battlefield in war after 20 grenades and smoke bombs hit the ground. I feel a burning hatred. I get up my leg feeling like it was shot by a mini gun. I see myself in the third person. I have one gold eye and one blood red eye, “Why do I always get hurt on a bike?” I screamed in my head. I think back to the summer when I crashed in a national park. I stormed out of the park but when I left I saw 5 kids crash. My friend's babysitter with my mom carried my bike out. My mom walked me home.

Me and my mom finally got home and we put the bike in the basement. My mom orders a burrito to calm me down. I go to sleep early. In my dream I throw my bike in the trash. I blew it up. I rage at it.  I wake up, I see myself in the third person again, one gold eye and one blood cold red. I get a drink, eat breakfast and go to school. At school I wrote a story of the crash. Months later that story is this one.  When I was writing this story I was raging because now I hate bikes. When I ride one I control my anger and stay away from fences and people. The crash changed me forever.
 The next day I went back where the five kids crashed there was blood.


                                                                                 

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11-19-20    A Crazy Flag Football game

By Julian Leibowitz

I was six years old at the time and my dad wanted me to get some exercise so he signed me up for a flag football league. I didn’t really like sports back then and didn’t want to put in the effort to be good at sport. So now you're probably thinking to yourself what could possibly go wrong? Well, bear with me, something did go wrong.

It was a chilly October morning on a Saturday. I was not that excited to spend the first three hours of my weekend playing football and I was complaining to my dad, “Daad do we have to go? I hate it.” My dad knew I hated it so he tried to make me want to go to the game by saying, “Julian I know you hate it but after the game we can go to your favorite restaurant for lunch.” Well, that got me to go to the game. Half an hour later, there we were in the car.

It was the semi finals and if we won we would go to the championship game if we lost we would be eliminated.

It's the third quarter and we were down 17-14. We had a 3rd down and five at mid field with about ten minutes left in the game. The whole team was proud of each other because just twenty minutes ago we were down 17-0 and now we were only down three. I was actually, up to this point, having my best game of the season so far. I had three catches including one long one that got us to the one yard line. Back to the 3rd and five I lined up for the play. I ran about five yards down the field  and I was trying to get open but I was not open. Apparently no one was open because my quarterback didn’t throw the ball and lost five yards on a sack. Now it’s 4th and ten. I line up towards the edge of the field. I'm not open, my teammate throws a deep pass down the field.  I mean like really deep like a twenty yard pass. I turned around to see if my teammate would catch it; he didn't, it was intercepted.

I’m mad because right now it was the other teams ball we were down three with nine minutes left we were gonna lose all hope of making a huge comeback win was gone. I hear my coach yell “Julian get back on the field, it was a holding penalty against the other team, we're redoing the play.” I was so so so so so relieved to hear that we still had some hope to win.

So 4th and ten again I'm on the left side of the field my quarterback said “Hike” I ran down field my teammate ran in front of me and blocked me from running which confused the defenders and the defence went to double team the other guy so there I was wide open.

I see my dad. He's watching the game right next to me. I say “Hi dad!” At that exact moment something hits me right in the cheek hard. “Oww” I yell. I turn around to see the ball sitting down right next to me. We were going to lose it all because of me.

So at this point I'm sitting on the bench extremely mad at myself for the drop my teammates are being mean to me. I quickly went to the bathroom  when I came up I heard my teammates screaming jumping up and down all so excited!! I was in the bathroom at the time and had no idea what happened. I could take in the hint from how my teammates were acting. Something really good just happened and my thought was correct, something good just did happen, something really good.

Apparently my team recovered a fumble at the one yard line which means the other team was one yard away from getting a touchdown that would have put the game out of reach. Not only did we recover the fumble we returned it a long distance and ahd the ball at midfield. I was so excited we still had hope. It felt like everyone was watching even the sun was beaming down right in the middle of the field to watch the end of the game.

So we had a first down at around mid field with seven minutes left. I ran down field but my quarterback ran himself and got thirty yards. I was so excited!! On the next play I ran to the endzone my teammate threw the ball to someone on my team who jumped for the ball but it bounced out of his hands and right into my hands and I caught the ball! We scored a touchdown and we were winning 21-17 with four minutes left!! My teammates all came to me and started hugging me and giving me high fives and everything like that. It was like the play where I got distracted and dropped the ball never happened!

But our whole team shouldn’t have been celebrating so early because the game was not over yet the other team still had four minutes to score and take the lead. So here’s what the game looked like now, we were winning 21-17 with four minutes left the other team had the ball at their own twenty yard line.

They got five yards on their first play and it was second down. Everybody who was there that day whether they were a player, a coach or a parent of one of the kids were all watching or playing the game knowing that this drive would very likely decide who will be going to the championship game.

On second down I was guarding a player on the other team and I quickly turned my head to see if the quarterback threw the ball yet. Sure enough just when I turned around the ball was right in front of me. I had about two seconds to react before the ball reached me. What I did was I just put my hand in front to block the ball. Well I tried to block the ball. The player on the other team was running to the touch down so I ran like the wind and pulled out his flag so he can’t run anymore and kept the score at 21-17.

I was mad at myself for allowing that play to happen but at the same time proud of myself for preventing a touchdown. So with about a minute left they had first down at the three yard line. The first pass they made was supposed to be thrown to some player on the other team but instead was thrown to the middle of nowhere. But on second down as I ran to guard the player on the other team I heard people yelling of excitement. I knew they were either my teammates yelling in excitement because we intercepted the ball and were about to go to the championship game or the other team caught a touchdown and they were headed to the championship game. Sure enough the other team got a touch down and were winning 24-21 and were 53 seconds away from the championship game.

So my team had fifty three seconds to score to win the game. Apparently some argument broke out between the two teams so that gave me a moment to ask my dad for advice. He said “ just try your best to catch the ball.” The rest of the game went by in a blur and I don't remember anything from the end of the game but one thing I remember is we lost.

Now I understand I did well in the game but the main thing I want you readers to learn from this is if you're playing sports remember to pay attention!!

Up to this day, regardless how good I am I love playing sports! THE END!!

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“Lillian,” my mom murmured, “Its almost time to go.”

“What time is it?” I groaned.

“4:30.”

“Mmmmm,” I mumbled. 4:30 in the morning, great time to start my day!

“Come on Lillian,” my mom replied to my ‘mmmmm’. “We have to go to the airport.” Airport, cool, still not a good reason to get up at 4:30 AM, but my mom wasn’t finished. “Were going to Seattle.” Oh right! Seattle! We were going to see my cousins! My mom got another mmm out of me but this time I got out of bed.

It was about sixty something degrees outside still I was wearing sweatpants, a sweatshirt, and a hat.

“I'm tired,” I tell my mom

“I know Lillian.”

Oh did I mention that last night I hadn't fallen asleep until 11 because it had been the first time I had been in the city in six months so, I kept thinking there was an earthquake every time a train would go under our building. We got in an Uber and headed to the airport. I really feel bad for these Uber driver guys because waking up at like 3 or maybe even 2am ain't no picnic. My mask felt hot on my face plus the car was pretty crowded, but the mask thing on the ears and just the heat it keeps on your face is  extremely annoying (its kinda nice in winter). I’ll just have to go another eight hours with my face companion. Did I mention we are in the middle of a pandemic? Yes a pandemic a giant out break of a deadly virus or disease\sickness, and know im going on a six hour plane ride in the thick of it! My sister is I think asleep in her carseat but I can’t tell because my mom is right beside me and im starting to feel claustrophobic.

“Were almost there” my mom whispers so I guess Sofia is asleep

“Cool” I mumble. That felt more like thirty minutes rather than an hour.

Once were at the airport drop of we made our way in to the pretty much empty JFK.

“This way,” my mom called.

“Mmm.”

“Lillian,” my mom said “Hold Sofia’s hand.”

“Ok,” I replied.

As we walked to security there were more people than I expected but also A LOT LESS. Considering it was 5 am and August of covid 19.

“Lillian get your lap top out of your bag,” my mom (who has been talking a lot more than my Step dad Dima and my sister) said.

“I have to go potty,” Sofia whined sleepily.

“Ok Sofia,” My mom replied. “We will go potty after we get through security.”

Once we were through security my mom made Dima go get breakfast. I didn't want to go with him but then I dd so I ran after him. We got breakfast sandwiches and I watched out plane come in with Sofia. Finally it was time to board.

When we got on the plane the flight attendant greeted us but they were still about six feet away. They were a couple of people in front of us getting on board but since Sofia qualified as a baby/toddler we got to get on the plane before most people. I was super excited to go to Seattle trust me if this plane ride was to go somewhere that I wouldn’t want to go I would be like ‘heck no I am not going on a six hour flight with a mask in a confined space just to go some random place.’ so basically the thought of me going to see my moms family pulled me through the plane ride!

“We are toward the front,” my mom said. Well that isn't exactly what she said. She had said the eile and the set number but I mean could anyone remember those exact details from a time 5 months ago? We got to our seat and I sat down. Originally Dima sat next to me but he and my mom switched seats multiple times

“Lillian, you need to put your backpack under the seat” my mom

“Ok” I replied

I took out my book and headphones, I was going to read then watch a movie I’d decided. I ended up watching Cool Runnings an one of the Harry Potters. I also practically finished my book. Oh but my ears they hurt so much and it was so hard to breathe, plus my mask was wet. I shoved my face into a pillow and took off my mask while my face was squished in a one of those weird pillows they give you on the pane. It was kinda hard to breathe but A LOT better then the mask. It was also very soft! My mom noticed my mask was wet and HALELUYA she gave me another.

“Lillian look out your window.” my mom called across the seat. (She was on the other side of the isle)

I looked out the window and saw Seattle! We were finally here. I had never been so happy to get off a plane.

The End

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The thing in the shadows...                                                                                      By Fiona Inamoto

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The thing in the shadows...                                                                                      By Fiona Inamoto

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“Guys, can you come down here?” my brother, Jasper called to my dad and I one night upstate, sounding worried. We bounded down the stairs to find Mom on the bed in her room, whimpering and pointing at something against the wooden wall. My dad and I squinted and saw something roundish and black in the shadows next to the bed. “Is it a mouse? Or some kind of dead animal?” Mom wonders worriedly, and I get scared too. “What is it? It sorta looks like my mom’s socks, but what if it is an animal, and it’s sleeping and wakes up and attacks us?” I thought, not very realistically, but it’s possible. “Can you find out what it is?” Mom asked my dad nervously. He hurried out of the room and soon came back with a broom and a bucket. My mom and I were panicking on the sofa, while Dad started poking at The Thing, and Jasper leaned over the side of the bed observing it.

Every few minutes, my mom and I would go in to check on their progress. Whenever we went into the room, Jasper would just make matters worse. “It has legs!” he would say. “It has a tail!” he cried. “It moved!” he shouted. I thought to myself, “Yeesh. Stop making Mom more worried. She’s scared enough as it is. I don’t see any tail. And he’s just imagining that it moved, right?” I was pretty sure he was saying all this to scare my mom. And you know what? It was working. Dad seemed the calmest out of all of us, but I could tell that he was a little nervous, too. While he poked at The Thing, Mom, meanwhile, sat in the next room, hyperventilating and close to having a meltdown. I tried comforting her, but I’m so not sure if it did much good.

And then . . . as I watched from the doorway, Dad scooped up The Thing as quickly as he could, and dropped it into the bucket. I squealed and ran back to the sofa. But . . . what’s this? I suddenly hear laughing from the bedroom. I slowly turned and started inching back towards the room, confused and asking, “What? What is it?” Dad’s still laughing, and Jasper wants to know what’s in the bucket too. Dad lets him peek in, and then he bursts into laughter. By now I know we got something wrong. “Let me see, let me see!” I cried. Dad tosses The Thing out of the bucket at me, and I shriek, even though I’ve figured out it’s not a dead animal. One look at it, I have the exact same reaction as Dad and Jasper. I was right! It is Mom’s socks! My mom’s reaction? Well, she started half laughing, half crying. So I guess, sometimes, things aren’t always what they seem.

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“Don’t forget your water!” My dad handed me my bottle and encouraged me, “You’ll do amazing, don’t worry!” Yeah right, I thought sarcastically, but before I knew it, it was time to go on the ice.

“Camilla! You’re up on the ice now!” my coach shouted as enthusiastically as ever. I don’t know why. The other team just scored another goal and were leading the game 5 to 4. If my coach wanted to get that goal back, he wouldn’t  have told me to go on the ice. Never in my whole life have I scored a goal in a hockey game.

“Hey! Did you hear what I just said? It’s your turn!” My coach's voice startled me out of my thoughts. I just nodded and dreadly made my way off the benches to center ice.

It was the 3rd period of the hockey game. Only ten minutes were left. Time seemed to  fly since the game started. There was no way I could get that goal back. I noticed that my teammates who were standing in their positions were definitely not enough to beat the team. Or so I thought.

“Oh great,” I grumbled to myself, “Let’s clump all the useless players and happily watch us get crushed by the other team.”  I watched carefully as the ref made his way to center ice and positioned himself next to the two centers. Before I could blink the puck was on the ice. Much to my surprise, we got the possession of the puck. “It was just plain luck,” I figured. I watched the forwards make their way to the other teams zone. Right before I got my hopes up the defenders took the puck away from the left winger and slapped it across the ice. Perhaps luck wasn’t on our side after all.

About one minute past, and we were battling for the puck at center ice. The forwards on the other team were doing a good job at getting us exhausted. Just when I was about to give up, a miracle happened. One of the defenders fell and blocked their teammate. With two players occupied, the center got possession of the puck once more and skated with all of his might towards the goal. For once, I didn’t hold back. I raced up to the goal and the center passed to me. Just then I realized that I had never tried to make a goal. I would just stand back and let my teammates do the job. But not this time. This time I put all my thoughts and energy into scoring this one and only goal. I brought the puck behind me and shot at the goal. I practically froze in place when I realized it went in. My parents (who were sitting on the metal bleachers) started cheering loudly. I looked up and saw that the score was now 5 to 5. I had tied up the game.

My teammates were also cheering and shouting my name so loudly that it hurt my ears, then I looked at my coach. My coach's face broke into a smile, “I knew there was a reason why I told you to go onto the ice.”

We ended up winning the game in overtime when my teammate scored. It was the happiest day of my life (except maybe one of my birthdays). I went home with a huge  smile on my face that the corners of my mouth almost reached my ears.

That night when I was laying in my bed looking at the dark ceiling above me, a thought came into my head. You can’t achieve something if you don’t try...With that, I closed my eyes and  let sleep take hold of me as I drifted into my dreams.

THE END…

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To Climb The Alpine By Molly-Michael lamb

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To Climb The Alpine By Molly-Michael lamb

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It was a warm summer day at RockBrook camp for girls, and I was going to finally reach the top of the Alpine Tower, a fifty foot tall climbing tower made of logs and ropes. A few other campers and I walked with the counselors to the tower. It wasn’t one of the quietest walks I have ever been on, but I could see everyone gearing up for the climb. Some kids were begging the counselors to let them go first and others were begging for the counselors to gloss over the annoying safety rules because they'd heard them trillions of times.

When we got there I waited my turn and when it came, I got my harness on and clipped myself on to the rope. The counselor on the other end was right behind my ready to hold me up. So I asked,(probably a bit too enthusiastically)“On ballay?!” and she answered “Ballay is on.” With those words I took off, scrambling up the first leg of the tower.

Early on I decided not to climb on the swinging logs if I wanted to live, because they’re literally logs swinging on a chain covered in hand and foot holds. As I climbed, the world became a blur of sound and color, I didn’t even think about the ground or how high up I was. The only thing going through my mind was getting to the top. By the end I was exhausted but I managed to clamber up the last few hand holds and I was there, at the top of the alpine tower! I thought to myself in that moment, wow I'm really here.

I was living it up. I felt like the queen of the world, until I looked down. I never realized how high up I was until I saw the ground. With fear in my eyes I  yelled “I’m coming down!” and with that I slowly repealed down the tower. I was a little shaken, but I was ok as I triumphantly went to get muffins with the other kids, for it was time for muffin break.

The end

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The Dreaded Orthodontics

Leo Cohen

“OW!!!!” I thought.  I was lying down in the comfy purple chair at the dentist office with my mom getting my palate expander in. My mom was sitting and watching on the chair in the back but the room was tiny.“Ok you might need to have braces too,”Dr Ashi mentioned. I could not really speak with all the pain but if I had no pain and I could speak I would have said,“WHAT!” I was really annoyed but I had to go home and just deal with it.

2 WEEKS LATER

“ We’re Back,”my mom said “ugh,” I groaned,“don’t tell me I need braces.”

5 MINUTES LATER

“You need braces,”Dr. Ashi exclaimed,“if you don’t get braces your right front tooth could get knocked out.” I was so annoyed“I have to get braces!” I thought“Don't worry it is going to be quick,”

1 MINUTE LATER

“They are on!” that was quick wow. I closed my mouth“OH MY GOD THEY HURT SO MUCH!” It felt like my tooth was going to rip off. You should only eat soft food so your teeth don’t hurt anymore than they already do, maybe you should get Leo ice cream,”Dr. Ashi said to my mom.“I can not believe I am going to have to go to school with these mom. Everyone will laugh.” “No they won't care.” My mom said to me “now go do your homework” I did not even realize we were home! I guess I was too distracted. I went to do my homework and go to bed scared for the upcoming morning.

THE NEXT MORNING

I woke up and went to brush my teeth forgetting I had braces.“OW!” I screamed and my mom ran over and saw that I was brushing my teeth.“Leo you don’t need to brush your teeth today.” I then walked away embarrassed. That morning I ate cereal but waited till it was soggy to eat it whole. My mom said “time to get on to the bus.” “Mom everyone is going to judge me please don’t make me go.” “They will not judge you, no one will care you are still you” my mom replied. My mom practically pushed me out the door. Then we got to the bus. It felt like I was walking into a pit of tigers. I walked to the back of the bus and did not talk for the whole ride. Then the worst thing appeared: school.

I walked inside slowly and looked at the doors.“Oh boy this is going to be a long day.” I walked into school slowly then Julian R appeared next to me.“I did not see you on the bus,” Julian said. I just kept walking. “Leo you seem really sad, what is wrong?” “I am not in a good mood ok!” I screamed. Julian said sadly “ok I will go now” so I started walking to the classroom. I was extremely nervous like I was going to jump off the The Empire State Building.“Hi” Ms. Yang beamed. I had to respond so I said “Hi” then Ms Yang had a look on her face. “You got braces!” I wanted to shrivel up in a ball “I know I am so embarrassed” I whimpered just then Julian asked “why?” “Well I thought you would all think it is weird and...” Liv then cut in, “It is not weird, it is just braces.” “Really” I said, starting to feel better. “You don’t care?” “Of course not” Julian exclaimed.  I started smiling and put my back pack in my cubby. “Well then I guess I will have a good day and not be sad!” I sighed in relief then a sharp pain came out of nowhere and I noticed I bit down too hard! It felt like a knife quickly jabbed through my gums. ”It will still be a long day,” I thought.

AFTERMATH

I got off the bus gleaming with joy, “Had a good day?” My mom asked. “Yeah I did, they really did not care. You were right.” I gave my mom a hug and walked home.

Morale
People will accept you for who you are just be yourself, shine and never feel insecure

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When Covid Started By Caiden Silverstein

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When Covid Started By Caiden Silverstein

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Once upon a time, about 8 months ago, there was a crazy night in a not so crazy March (yet.) You want to hear the story? Nah, you have other things to do, no time to listen to my story? Oh wait you do? Wait why? Oh, you're in a pandemic. Funny thing is this story is about a pandemic. Still interested? Okay read on, oh and one more warning: this story does not start with a crazy battle like other books you may read but it does start with tacos. Ok you've been warned. Read on.

"Liam eat your dinner," my dad scolded. "But there's no cheddar cheese," my little brother Liam whined. It was an ordinary Friday night in March and my family was having Friday night dinner, (a tradition in my family.) As I nibbled on my carnitas I wondered why my mom had been acting so nervous tonight. Usually she led the conversation but tonight she'd been weirdly silent. "Mom, what's wrong?" I asked. "Nothing. Now Caiden keep eating if you want to get ice cream before the store closes." She replied. Yes, I thought! We would get ice cream if we ate fast enough.

As we kept on eating I noticed another strange thing, my parents kept on nervously glancing at their phones. I wondered: could this be about that thing mom showed me last monday called Covid19? I tried to think back to that moment but all I remembered was my mom resuring me, "Don't worry Caiden, it's only in a few countries and scientists are working to find a vaccine.'' Just this afternoon the third grade teachers handed out paper bags of school supplies we would need if we went virtual because of Covid. But then yet again I remembered my mom telling me that there was a very large chance that we wouldn't go virtual. Suddenly, 2 buzzes from my parents’ phones broke my trance. I looked up and saw my mom’s face. It was pale. I ran over and took a look of the news flash on my dad's phone. The article read:

CNN

Breaking News

Covid19 infection forces China, Italy, and Iraq to go into quarantine.

My whole family, (except Liam who hadn't read the news caption) was silent for a whole minute. Then Liam said, "Why are you being so quiet" and I asked my voice almost a whisper, "What's quarantine" at the same time. My mom was still pale so my dad, ignoring Liam's question, told me, "Quarantine is when everyone stays in their houses and only essential workers go to work because of sickness." Then a buzz came from his phone again. Please not another bad article I prayed but the email my dad showed me was just as bad: it was from Poly Prep and it said that Poly would go virtual until APRIL 20! Then yet one more buzz filled the silence: dad read the text from my grandma out loud, "Hi Aaron I saw the news article about Covid19 and I thought that you might need to stay in the upstate house. So if you ever need to spend some time there please come up. My dad punched in a reply for 30 seconds then he told my mom: "Get the tacos to go then come home with Liam. Caiden come with me, we have some packing to do."

My father and I walked to my house. I noticed during the walk my dad seemed to be running to my house. When we got to my house he opened the door and when I came inside he was bringing out clothes. "Caiden, can you grab three of your sweaters? "What about dinner?" I asked "You can finish it later," he replied. I ran to my room and started taking out all the clothes he instructed me to. Just as I was finishing my mom walked through the door. "Aaron," she called, "Yes," replied my dad. "Are we leaving today or tomorrow? She called back. Now, as you may have noticed I still had no idea of what was happening. It pretty much  felt like when my mom spoke in Spanish to me. So as any kid who has no idea what his parents are talking about I interrupted their conversation by saying the famous four words of "What is going on??”

My father replied by telling me that if I sat down and ate my dinner he would tell me what was going on. I walked to the table with my heart beating as fast as a drum beat that had only sixteenth notes. When I sat down, my dad told me about how Covid19 was infecting lots of people. So it wouldn't spread everyone would stay in their houses unless they needed important things like going to the grocery store. Or if they were essential workers who did stuff like run the grocery stores. But since we didn't want to be stuck in our small apartment so we would go upstate to my grandma's house (which she wasn't using.)

Then he told me that until April 20 school would be "virtual" which no one's sure what it will be like except for that it will be on the computer. I responded with silence. Then I went to my room to grab some more shirts. When I walked into the living room my dad asked me to put the shorts in the suitcase and help bring them into the car. As I loaded the car up I got a feeling that my life was about to be changed forever. After me and my family started to drive away I took my last look at my house wondering when I would see it next.

Looking back at this story 8 months later I realize that life can change in one instant and that even when there is a very small chance of something happening it can still happen - good or bad.