Ashes

No one died

right?

I wasn't affected

but I am affected.

I know them

their situation

we're good friends

but why is all of this happening in my lifetime?

In our lifetimes?

The politics

the banning

having to protest for ourselves and our rights

now this fire?

Fire,

thought of a fresh start at times

but this?

No

it's worse

no one benefited from this

and I feel terrible

like someone has died

but not quite

and I feel useless

like I can't help

but can I?

How am I supposed to be on Monday

at school

where some of my worst hardships occur?

How do I help

I want to help

let me help

Calico Frost

VT

13 years old

More by Calico Frost

  • The creatures

    The albatross watched from high above

    at the calico cat slinking across the forest floor, a view of the situation from the ground among the trees and undergrowth

    the queen bee flitting around, ordering her subjects

  • Get up

    I'm watching you lie there, dejected, miserable at your idea of a failure. But it's not a failure if you got impressively high up on the leaderboard, if you got so close to winning but didn't.

  • Promise

    I stopped here. I ceased my walking and stood here, for as long as I needed to be until they came. I wait for them. They haven't come yet.