A New Place

It's cold, dark and damp. I can't see but I know something's there. I hear muffled cries to the right and left of me. Above me I could hear muffled yells that were loud and strong like a foghorn. I can't move. Something's rotting, but what? I know there's many people around me. The only heat we have is the body heat from people surrounding me. I feel like screaming, but what's the point when no one can seem to hear me? People dying all around me. I feel no hope. What will the future bring? I've been taken away from my family and friends. I can't understand what these men are saying or where we are going. But there's nothing I can do about it. I'm making secret cries of help.

About: A New Place:
Written on 12-3-2008. I was in 8th grade. My Language Arts and Literature class. The teacher asked everyone to write a story. I used a tip from my 7th grade English teacher to "zoom" in on a moment. Using all the senses to describe the scene. Best. Tip. Ever.


You know the feeling you get when you know the teacher's going to call on you? Well I definitely got that feeling after I finished writing this piece. I knew she'd call on me, but some part of me actually wanted to read this to the class. After I read it, my whole class was in awe. The immature, prank pulling 8th graders didn't know what to say. Sure, I was the quiet kid but that day, they saw my potential. They all looked at me. Some kid named Josh Greene said something like... "damn." Best moment ever. Then my teacher said, well I found out something today.. you're a great writer.


So after that, I realized I loved to write. I want to make people speechless as I did that day.


I wrote this piece exactly as it was written back in 8th grade. Today, I would've written it differently, maybe better. Maybe not. But this piece is the founder of all other pieces that I've written.