The Creative Righters Journal
Flash Fiction
The Tree
By: Kaia A., Age 12
In a quaint little town on the outskirts of New York, a lively, and spirited little girl named Taylor danced around in the autumn breeze, the soft wind flowing past her carefree body. Taylor often visited a peculiar old flower shop run by an enigmatic old woman, the flowers just as mystical as her. Taylor loved sitting by the orange tree in the middle, standing strong and tall, lost in her thoughts.
One day, she noticed that the tree had lost its sparkle, its leaves withered, and its vibrance faded. Determined to restore its former greatness, She came and visited it daily. She did everything in her power to revive it, regardless of the weather. Through storms, blizzards, and gusting winds, Taylor made it to the rusty shop. She would talk to the tree, make up stories for it, and even sing beautiful songs, in hopes of bringing the poor tree back to life.
Taylor’s hard work soon paid off, for life started coming back into the tree, it flourished and regained its vibrancy, and the beautiful tree Taylor had known forever was back, and it shone brighter than ever, becoming a sign of hope and resilience across the town.
The Quiet Village of Everwood
By: Marissa B., Age 12
In the quiet village of Everwood, nestled amidst rolling hills and whispering pines, the past cast a long shadow over the present. For generations, the looming manor atop the hill remained abandoned, its secrets buried deep within its walls. When young Emily stumbled upon a faded photograph hidden in the attic, the mystery of the manor ignited her curiosity. Determined to uncover its secrets, she enlisted the help of her adventurous friend, Alex. Their investigation led them down a winding path of forgotten memories and whispered tales. With each clue they unraveled, the shadows of the past grew darker, threatening to engulf them. As they delved deeper, they unearthed a story of love and betrayal, of a forbidden romance that tore a family apart. But the past was not content to remain buried, and the spirits that lingered within the manor sought to protect their secrets at any cost. In a race against time, Emily and Alex must confront the ghosts of the past and uncover the truth before it consumes them. But some secrets are meant to stay hidden, and the price of discovery may be higher than they ever imagined.
Cupcake Day
By: Penelope M., Age 10
Once upon a yummy time, there lived a brave princess named Penelope. Unlike other princesses who wore puffy dresses, Penelope wore a suit of silver armor and a helmet with a pink feather on top. Every day, she practiced sword-fighting with her pet ladybug, Lady Donut.
One day, a grumpy troll with a bad case of smelly breath blocked the town's cupcake factory! Penelope knew the townsfolk craved cupcakes, especially the chocolate ones with rainbow sprinkles. So, she bravely rode her unicorn, Marshmallow Smore, to the factory.
The troll roared, his voice like a grumpy gummy bear. Penelope, though small, puffed out her chest and said, "Move or be tickled by a thousand feathers!" The troll laughed, a sound like nails on a board. But then, Lady Donut flew right up his nose! The troll sneezed so hard, he blasted himself out of town.
Penelope and Marshmallow Smore skipped into the factory, the smell of cupcakes filling the air. The townsfolk cheered as Penelope declared, "Cupcake Time!" From that day on, Penelope was known as the bravest princess who ever saved cupcake day.
Roblox
By: Miles A., Age 13
Rain sprayed against Miles's window, but inside, his world was sunny. He was playing Roblox, but it felt like he was living it. Today, his avatar, a purple haired cyborg named Xerox, was a detective. He crouched behind a neon-lit dumpster, peering into an alleyway. Across the street, his friend Maya, a fire-wielding wizard named Lora, gave a thumbs up.
They were hunting for clues in a murder mystery game. But it wasn't just following simple arrows. They had to solve riddles and puzzles to advance. Suddenly, a mysterious figure emerged from a shop doorway.
Xerox's heart hammered in his chest. This was it! Together, Miles and Maya outsmarted the villain. Success. Happy, Miles and Maya cheered and let out big laughs. The thrill of the chase, and the satisfaction of using their minds to solve the puzzles was so amazing. Tomorrow they would play another Roblox game together. But it wasn't just a game. It could be anything in they wanted it to be.
The Greatest Food on Planet Earth
By: Jayson P., Age 12
What is the greatest food ever created? It’s obvious isn’t it?
ICE CREAM.
Delicious. Sweet and creamy, Ice cream is a food that is loved by everyone around the entire world. There is a flavor that will satisfy every person, from vanilla to chocolate to mango to strawberry. There is a style (popsicle, waffle cone, scooped in a cup, with syrup, with sprinkles, or in a banana) that will make an 8 year old or an 80 year old smile.
But ice cream isn't just a food. It holds a special place in our memories. It's a familiar treat at birthday parties, a reward for good behavior, or a cooling savior on a hot summer night. A scoop of ice cream can transport us back to childhood - a time of carefree joy.
So, while other foods may boast health benefits or be especially fancy, ice cream offers the greatest combination of taste, variety, and special memories. It's the symbol of happiness, a delicious escape enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds.
The next time you have an ice cream on a summer day, remember that you are enjoying the greatest food ever created.
The Trial Of Socrates
This is a fragment of a long lost play titled “The Trial Of Socrates” by the playwright Eunolikedes (c. 450 – c. 390 BCE), who was a colleague of the famous playwright Euripides
Translated from Ancient Greek
Act V
Characters
Socrates, a philosopher
Anytus, a prominent democrat
Meletus, the chief spokesperson of the accusers
Lycon, a representative of the orators
An angry mob
Scene: An assembly hall in the city-state of Athens. An angry mob of people are chanting “Make Athens Great Again!” and “Execute him!”
Meletus:
Socrates, you have been accused of corrupting the youth of Athens. How do you plead?
Socrates:
In what way am I corrupting the youth of Athens?
Meletus:
You have been going around saying that democracy is unreasonable. Explain yourself.
Socrates:
Imagine you are on a ship with 50 people, and a rich merchant stands up and declares that he should be the captain of the ship, justifying his decision with the fact that he is very wealthy. Do you overthrow the current captain in favor of the rich merchant?
Lycon:
No, it’s not the merchant's job to sail a ship.
Socrates:
Let's say all the people on the ship voted for the merchant to be the captain, what now?
Lycon:
No, that is completely ridiculous, it takes skill to captain a ship, what if there’s a storm?
Socrates:
Isn’t the example of the sailors voting for the merchant the same as citizens voting in a democracy?
Anytus, visibly angered:
Are you saying that we are unqualified to run the country?
Meletus:
I’ve had enough of you and all your annoying questions. You have two options. Admit you were wrong or be sentenced to death.
Socrates:
I’d rather die than lie. The unexamined life is not worth living.
Meletus:
We sentence him to death by hemlock.
Two guards come and drag Socrates away.
End of Act V
Summary of Learning:
Four forms of government were developed in the Greek city-states: Monarchy, Oligarchy, Tyranny, and Democracy. One form of rule led to another until the Greeks eventually developed democracy. This form of government is perhaps Ancient Greece's greatest gift to modern society.
However, democracy was not without its faults. Plato and Socrates criticized democracy for two reasons. First of all, excessive freedom leads to anarchy. Secondly, democracy is highly corruptible, because it attracts power-hungry people, motivated by personal gain rather than public good.
This opens the gates to demagogues, who are political leaders that gain popularity by whipping up the passions of crowds, appealing to emotion by scapegoating out-groups, exaggerating dangers to stoke fears, lying for emotional effect, or using rhetoric that drowns out reasoned deliberation and encourages fanatical popularity. A good example of this is Donald Trump, who was elected President of the U.S. in 2016, and is also likely to be re-elected President this year.
The Ancient Greeks had direct democracy, in which every citizen was allowed to vote on every issue. What the U.S. currently has is representative democracy, in which people vote for representatives who then decide issues on behalf of the people. However this did not seem to make a difference as to whether demagogues could be elected or not, as seen in the example of Donald Trump.
What Socrates feared eventually came true. In 561 BC, the tyrant Peisistratos overthrew Athenian democracy, and it only returned in 510 BC after the expulsion of his son, Hippias. Democracy was overthrown again, less than a century later, in 413 BC, by a group of citizens that established an oligarchy which lasted for four months.
Ancient Greece: Socrates
By: Claire Y.T., Age 12
Table for Four
By: Anonymous, 11
I used to be a beloved member of the Able family, but now I’ve been kicked out of the house and am sitting alone on the cold sidewalk. How did this happen? It was just a month ago that we had Thanksgiving dinner together: Mom, Dad, Olivia, little Ralph, and me, Tom. I remember that warm, happy feeling as Mom cut our homemade pumpkin pie. We had been together for many years, as a happy family. What about baby Ralph’s second birthday we spent together? He was grinning a big, gummy smile as we cut the cake together and handed him a slice. I even remember our dinner last night. The smell of garlic bread and lasagna filled the dining room and our laughter was heard throughout the neighborhood. Every happy moment the Able family had, I was a part of.
And now, suddenly, you just throw me out of the door and say, “ You're so worthless.”
Those words pierced my heart. Now, I’m sitting alone on the street, not even able to get shelter from the frigid cold. The wind would shake my confidence and the little warmth I had.
The wind howled, whispering “ You’re nothing but garbage.”
“What did I do wrong? Did I upset you? Weren’t we just a family?” As all these questions kept racing through my mind, my heart sank even lower.
I shouldn’t have been surprised though. Just yesterday, we were all celebrating the news that the Able family was expecting a new baby - another boy. There would be three kids! Mom and Dad kept talking about how they needed to start planning for having a bigger family now. That's when it all changed. As I sit here on the sidewalk, I can see the delivery men carrying five dining chairs and a brand-new long dining table.
Dad smiled gleefully out the window and I could hear Mom saying, “This large table should fit perfectly for us and our three kids, including our new baby Noah.”
Maybe I am just garbage and not fit to be a part of any family. My back is bent and sore, while my legs feel worn down. At this moment, two people stopped by - a man and a woman. They looked at me with curious eyes. I could hear them whispering but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. Were they deciding whether to take me home? Eventually, they continued on their jog and left me.
It was at this point that I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself. Just because my old family didn’t want little Tom Able anymore, doesn’t mean I’m worthless. There isn’t anything wrong with me at all. I may be a little short and square, but I’m proud of what I am. I could feel my hopes rising and I believed that I wouldn’t be alone forever.
The next day came, and brought the two people from yesterday back. Julie and James Esk were their names. The two were back out for a morning walk.
“Look over here James!” shouted Julie with excitement. “He’s still here. Let me get my truck and we can take him home. It will be perfect for our small dining room.”
“Wait here, Julie,” said James. A couple of minutes later, a big truck drove by me as Julie patted my cold, shivering back.
“Who would leave you here? Sure your legs are a little worn and you have some dings and stains, but with a little fixing you’ll be perfect again!”
I wasn’t an Able any longer. Goodbye to T. Able. I’m an Esk now. As we drove off to the Esk home, I could hear James laughing as he said, “Let’s give it a new name Julie. What do you think?”
Julie replied: “Let’s call him Dennis.”
I like that - D. Esk.
Whiskers
Story By: Jack R., Age 10
Whiskers wasn't just any dirty old black cat. Yes, he liked chasing pigeons and sleeping in the sun, but Whiskers had a SUPER SECRET power: helping kids.
It all started when Lia, the girl next door, was gonna get SMACKED in the head by a runaway soccer ball.
But NOT on Whiskers’ watch!
Whiskers, the Hero Cat, quickly jumped like a fuzzy rocket and boinged that ball away with his lighting fast paw!
From then on, Whiskers was Lia's bodyguard. She’d wake Lia up for school with a toy tickle fight and hiss at any bullies who even looked at her mean. One time, this rude raccoon tried to steal Lia's bike helmet. No way. Whiskers chased that racoon bandit away faster that the wind.
Now, the whole neighborhood knows Whiskers is the best cat hero ever. She helped Tommy find his lost kite by leading him to it with her meow-mazing detective skills. She even calmed down a baby with a purr so strong it could melt glaciers. Maybe Whiskers doesn’t have a mask or a cape, but everyone knows Whiskers the Hero Cat.
