Category: Extras

By Julia M.

You can read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of this series.

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At first, I ignored the tapping. But it seemed the more I tried to ignore it, the louder it was. It was almost like the noise was echoing through my head. As I sat up from the bed I scanned the room. My heart dropped into my stomach as I saw mirrors scattered across the room. They all seemed to be in a pattern, with many of them facing each other. Trying to be as quiet as possible, I slipped out of the bed and examined the mirrors. That’s when I saw the scratches. There were hundreds of scratches covering every mirror, glistening in the dim light.

Squinting, I could see a shadowy reflection passing between the mirrors. I watched it pass from the mirror on my left, to the mirror on my right. I stood still, afraid of it seeing me. But with my luck, the figure stopped in the mirror right in front of me. I held my breath, praying it would just pass by. In horror I watched as the shadow reached out, its hand passing through the glass. My heart skipped a beat, and I felt locked in place. I desperately wanted to run away but my knees had buckled.

I watched as the figure reached its hand out to my arm and grabbed me. I could feel sharp nails dig into my skin. With the little light there was, I could make out the shadow’s features. Its face was distorted, almost human looking, except you could tell something was off. It also had sunken eyes that stared right through me with an empty look. My eyes glanced down to see the shadow disappearing into my arm.

By Abby N.

Many people don’t believe zodiac signs are true or accurate. According to Gigi from 8th grade, “I think they are somewhat true but you shouldn’t rely on them completely. I hate those people who say, ‘We can’t be friends because you’re an Aries or something like that.’” 

The 12 Zodiac Signs 

1. Aries: Aries is a fire sign and the ruling planet is Mars. Birthdays go from March 21 to April 19. They are passionate, motivated, and confident. They can be aggressive and frustrated easily. The most compatible signs for Aries are Leo, Libra, and Sagittarius. One Aries actor is Emma Watson.
2. Taurus: Taurus is an Earth element that rules the planet Venus. They are stubborn and sensual but down to earth. Birthdays go from April 20 to May 21. They are compatible with Scorpio, Virgo, and Capricorn. Queen Elizabeth was a Taurus. 
3. Gemini: Gemini is an Air element and rules the planet Mercury. They are known for being two-faced and playfully social. Birthdays go from May 21 to June 21. They are most compatible with Aquarius and Libra. Marylin Monroe was a Gemini. 
4. Cancer: Cancer is a water sign and rules the Moon. Birthdays go from June 21 to July 22. Cancers are clingy to their close friends and relationships. They also are very grounded people and loyal. They are compatible with Pisces and Scorpio. Princess Diana was a Cancer. 
5. Leo: Leo is a fire sign that rules the planet Sun. Birthdays go from July 23 to August 22. They are confident, dramatic, and big-hearted. They are compatible with Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. Jennifer Lopez is a Leo. 
6. Virgo: Virgo is an Earth sign and rules the planet Mercury. Birthdays go from August 22 to September 22. Virgos are humble and practical but also anxious. They are compatible with Scorpio, Capricorn, Taurus, and Cancer. Michael Jackson was a Virgo. 
7. Libra: Libra is an Air sign and they rule the planet Venus. Birthdays go from September 22 to October 22. They are charming and beautiful, and they like to make peace with others. They are compatible with Gemini, Aquarius, and other Libras. Kim Kardashian is a Libra. 
8. Scorpio: Scorpio is a water sign and rules the planet Venus. Birthdays go from October 23 to November 21. They are emotional and can be harsh at times. They are compatible with Cancer, Pisces, Capricorn, Virgo, and Taurus. Leonrdo DiCaprio is a Scorpio. 
9. Sagittarius: Sagittarius (Sag) is a fire sign and they rule the planet Jupiter. Birthdays go from November 21 to December 21. They are optimistic, funny, and intellectual. They usually get along with Aries and Leo but can be compatible with Aquarius. Taylor Swift is a Sagittarius. 
10. Capricorn: Capricorns are an earth sign and they rule the planet Saturn. Birthdays go from December 22 to January 19. They are faithful, trustworthy, and loyal. They also can be controlling and can be toxic in relationships. They are compatible with Virgo and Taurus. Elvis Presley was a Capricorn. 
11. Aquarius (The best sign according to the author): Aquarius is an air sign and rules the planet Uranus. Birthdays go from January 19 to February 18. They are innovative, progressive, and shamelessly revolutionary. They can also be stubborn at times. They are mostly compatible with Libra and Gemini. Harry Styles is an Aquarius. 
12. Pisces: Pisces is a water sign and they rule the planet Neptune. Birthdays go from February 19 to March 20. They are sensitive and emotionally aware. They also can be overly emotional and fall in love easily. Albert Einstein was a Pisces.

We all love French fries. French fries are sent from heaven. They’re beautiful, savory sticks of marvelousness that make life complete. However, some French fries are better than others. Over the next few weeks, I will be hosting a showdown between the most popular restaurants that serve French fries. Each round, one restaurant will be eliminated. You, the viewers, will get to decide the ultimate winner. The bracket is as follows:

Use Google Form below, and vote for the first round. Let the games begin!

By Julia M.

You can read Part 1 of this series here and Part 2 here.

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I sat on the floor rattling the lock, trying to break it open. Eventually, with the thin, inside part of my pen, I successfully picked the lock. I heard the relieving sound of a click! and pulled the lock off. Opening the trapdoor, I looked down to see a small staircase leading into a kitchen. I found it odd but proceeded into the room anyway.

As I looked around, I found myself in a cozy, dimly-lit home. Everything was tidy, as if it was specifically set up for someone. I made my way back to the trapdoor, brought my items into the kitchen, and placed them on the marble countertop. Opening the fridge door, I found it stocked with fresh food. My stomach growled at the sight of it. I hadn’t thought about how long I’d been in here until now. It’s probably been days… I desperately wanted to eat everything, but I just couldn’t. The circumstances seemed too perfect. It felt like I was being set up.

I decided to find a place to rest instead. I knew there had to be bedrooms somewhere in this house. After searching every room, I finally found the bedroom. It was large and even led to a bathroom. The bed was neatly tucked in, with not a wrinkle in sight. My only complaint was the slightly old scent of the room. It smelled like it had sat there for years without being touched. Although, if that was true, I wouldn’t be too surprised.

Assuming this would be my new home, I got comfy. I was able to find every necessity I needed: from clothes to toothpaste. As I grew tired, I crawled into the king-sized bed, and pulled the blankets up to my chin. Just as my eyes fluttered shut a slow, tapping noise began.

To be continued in Part 4…

By Julia M.

You can read Part 1 of this series here.

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I quickly realized that this was an infinite hallway of dimly lit rooms that were all painted a sickening yellow-beige color. It seemed like the more doors I opened and the further I went, the more the paint on the walls began to peel and flake off. The once new-looking building began to look as if it was abandoned. I had to take in every detail about this building in order to escape. 

As I went from room to room, I began to collect some of the items I found. Maybe they’d become helpful in the future; that’s probably why they were there. The items I’d gathered included a nearly empty matchbox, a clear glass jar, a torn towel, and a pen. Out of all the other random objects I found, these were the most useful because I could make tools out of them.

I gathered all of my items and decided to explore some more. Even though I was beginning to lose hope in finding anything new, there was always a possibility that I was simply missing something. Opening a few more doors, I examined every little thing from the ceiling to the floor. 

I began to notice that every door had a number faintly engraved on it. Assuming this was important, I started to take note of the number on every door. Although the numbers were jumbled around and not in a specific order, I continued to write them on my arm using the pen I’d found. 

Opening yet another door, I saw that this one didn’t have a number on the door. I scanned the room and noticed a square cut out in the carpet below me. Peeling the rug back revealed a door secured with an old-looking lock: the exit.

To be continued in Part 3…

By Zoey G.

You can find Episode 1 here.

By Julia M.

The bustling mall was noisy and loud. Crowds of people stood around; others filled the pathways. I weaved in between people as I looked for the hallway I needed to find. I saw the glowing exit sign which marked the hallway and made my way to it. As the double doors shut behind me, the hallway echoed, and I could only hear the muffled sounds of people talking. 

I could see the storage room at the far end of the long hallway, to the right. Every step I took made the hallway feel longer and never-ending. When I turned around the doors were right behind me. How had I not moved? I must’ve been imagining things because when I turned back around, I was face to face with the door of the storage room. I was confused but proceeded to open the door anyway. 

As the door shut behind me I looked around the room, only spotting a broom, vacuum, and box. It was oddly empty yet I paid no attention to that and grabbed the broom. When I turned around to leave, the door was gone. My heart began to pound. How was that possible? It’s a door; it can’t move.. I turned around scanning every wall, looking for the door. It has to be here- it can’t just be gone. Was I hallucinating?? I panicked. I needed to find a way out, I wasn’t going to be trapped. 

I sat on the chair going through possible ways to escape, in my mind. Was I just imagining all of this? I didn’t know what was or wasn’t real anymore. As I looked up, I saw the door. The door! I breathed a sigh of relief and immediately swung the door open, wanting to get out of that room. That’s when I saw the hallway. It was lined with door after door, none of which had been there before. My head spun, and I felt dizzy. How was any of this possible? I just wanted to leave. I walked to what I thought was the end and opened the door, hoping it’d lead to the busy mall I was once in. My heart dropped as I looked into a long hallway that seemed to never end, it was lined with even more doors. I began to think I’d never leave. I opened every door I saw, finding empty rooms that sometimes had small items in them. None of the objects seemed to be of much use and I focused on finding an exit to this never-ending hallway of rooms. 

To Be Continued in Part 2…

In the mysterious world of the courtyard at AHN, the animals buzz with excitement over the crumbs of leftover food. The animals scurry around and try to steal the food from each other. The animals are dashing, running, chasing, flying, all fighting over a single chip.

Then, the squirrels hide in the bushes, waiting until the kids leave and the birds are unaware. Later, the pigeons in the courtyard trees fly gracefully down to get a pinch of food. The crows squawk loudly, fighting against many other crows. They fight for one piece of a Cheeto on the sidewalk near the benches at the four square courts.

The kids flood back from specials, and the animals scurry away sneaking one last piece of food before they go. When snack time is done, the animals fade away scampering back into hiding. The animals keep a close eye on the children as they forage for new food. The crows fly away to the Bayshore playground to take up their vantage points to spot food. The pigeons sit on the power lines, while the squirrels eat and hide their food. It’s soundless when the classes are ongoing.

There is no buzz around the courtyard, and everything is dead silent until lunch…

Image Credits to Mrs.Swiger and Zoey G.

By Zoey G.

You can find Episode 2 here.

By Gigi L.

You can see Episode 1 here.