In the summer of 2011 I went to Six Flags. I was really excited to go because I’ve been waiting for a long time because I heard that Six Flags was alot fun. So I was in the car driving for about 45 minutes and then I seen a big rollercoaster in the air from far away so I started to get real excited. So when I got there I really wanted to get on the joker the most badly than any other ride that was in Six Flags because I heard it has a lot of twists, and curves. So I went to the joker and waited in line until it was my turn. But the whole time when I was looking at the ride I was a little bit nervous and excited so I really had mixed emotions about the roller coaster. When I was at the front of the line the man said “let’s check your height”. So we checked my height and I was not tall enough so he said you cannot ride this ride today and when he said that I just got real upset but I thought for a second and said Ima try again next time I come and it wasn’t like that was the only ride in Six Flags. So I really wasn’t as mad as I was when I couldn’t get on. So I played a few games and got on a couple of water rides then I left and went home but at home all I can think about is me being more taller so I can get on the rollercoaster but I told myself Ima get taller It’s not like Ima stay this height forever. In the summer of 2012 I went I was going back to Six Flags for my birthday. First I had got on all the water rides first and I ate funnel cakes, chicken tenders, and a soda because I wanted to be surprised to see if I was taller then what I was last time. So after I got on all the water rides I went to the joker again. This time they didn’t even check my height because I had grown over the school year and got way taller. So then I was in the line waiting for my turn and I was to excited like felt so older for some reason and was open and free the it was my turn so I got on. So when I got on it starting moving and I was a little bit nervous so it started moving fast and I was really enjoying the ride a lot I just felt like I’m free and open and then it stopped. When I got off I started to go on other rides like the Superman,Batman,and the Apoclypse I really had a lot of fun. I fixed my problem by trying again and coming back to Six Flags again and not saying that I hate Six Flags and never trying again but instead I tried again and was able to achieve my goal.

 

A drop of ice-cold water smacked me in the face. “Whaaaaa….?!” I exclaimed sleepily, sitting up in my sleeping bag. I had thought my cabin and I had a tarp over our heads, really the only consolation for hiking up North Mountain. It had been a grueling hike, the hot sun beating down on us and our heavy moss-green packs as we climbed up the trail. The memory made me tired all over again. But why was I getting wet? As the eight other girls slowly woke up, grumbling and tired, we came to a dreadful conclusion. It was beginning to rain, and we had only a thin blue tarp that, it turns out,  was not waterproof over our heads. The towering trees above us almost seemed to be shivering, their leaves falling to the ground. In sleepy defeat I sighed, curled up in my blue and yellow sleeping bag like it was a cocoon, and tried to go to sleep as rain started to create a rhythmic beat on the tarp.

Now, I don’t know if you have had the pleasure to be stuck on a mountain, with eight exhausted, 12 year old girls, but for us, as soon as the rain started coming down, so did our spirits. At first we were all giggles, but the steady rainfall along with the fact that we were all becoming uncomfortably wet started to dampen our moods. “Ugghhh…” I exclaimed to myself after waking up yet again. My socks were soaked through, and my hair was tangled, matted and dripping wet. “Why do I have to be in this cabin?” Was a frequent thought of mine throughout the night. Some cabins got to hike maybe a mile on flat ground, and sleep under clear skies. Not our cabin.  Tempers started to fly as we got wetter and wetter, like ferocious cats in a bag. “Ughhh… move over, I’m getting wet!” and “I’m trying to sleep!” was heard many times, but in the dark of the night I honestly didn’t really care. “They aren’t even really my friends, anyway.” I kept telling myself. I mean, after camp ended, everybody would go back to their normal lives and we would all forget about each other anyway… Soon, everybody, including me, gave up on being frustrated and fell into a restless sleep. In my mind I tried thinking of a comfy mattress, and a roof over my imaginary bed. All the while the ongoing rain was falling, falling, falling.

Even though it seemed to have taken decades, morning arrived and my cabin arose as slowly as zombies coming to life. We had been wringing out our sleeping bags for a long time in bitterness when we finally noticed a thick, eerie fog all around us drifting about the shrubs and evergreens, obscuring the distant trees. Everything seemed like it was part of a suspense movie, the scene where something is about to happen but it hasn’t gotten there quite yet. All of us were staring in awe as we walked around, in a sort of trance, until someone broke the silence. “Guys, you have to come see this!” For sure, nothing could be more attention-worthy than what we were already experiencing. I was wrong.

As we scrambled over to the rock ledge that overlooks the Shenandoah Valley, all conversation stopped except for the occasional “Wow”. The morning mist had actually seemed to swallow up the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains. Everything was hidden in a mysterious, beautiful shroud that  already had streaks of sunlight starting to peek through. We gasped and stared ahead in amazement, smiles breaking through our tired faces as we exchanged glances. In the days after the camp out our cabin was almost like a real family, whispering to each other after dark and giggling at all of the meals. We looked out for each other, and everyone was an important part of the cabin. Even though the night of the North Mountain camp out had been so long and miserable, I felt like our cabin got to share a special bond that no one else had, just in those couple minutes. It would be a bond that would stretch miles, one that stayed strong even after camp. That was enough for me.

The pain got to my head.  I ran as I bursted into tears.  I couldn’t believe what had just happened to me.  It was a beautiful summer day in Chicago, Illinois.  The cool afternoon wind swirled around me.  The sun shone like never before.  My grandmother just put up the badminton net.  I was tempted to play a game with my older brother, Brendan.  We grabbed our rackets and a birdie and headed to the backyard.  I could feel the cool grass glide against the bottom of my feet as I walked.

 

We hit the birdie back and forth for eight minutes before it was Brendan’s turn to serve.  He threw the birdie up in the air and hit it. THWACK!  The birdie went flying to my left side and landed into the nearby fir tree.  I looked over to see where in the tree it had landed.  My heart skipped a beat when I saw that the birdie had landed on a giant bees nest.  I could see the angry bees flying around the nest.  Then, without warning, a bee came flying right at me.  I ran in circles trying to get it away from me, swatting it with my racket.

 

“Run, Jacob, run!” Brendan yelled.   I felt the bee’s little legs fall lightly on my head.  This time I gave the bee a swing with me hand.  It flew around my head but then it landed on my finger.  The bee jabbed it’s stinger into my skin.  Then, the wave of pain hit me.  I couldn’t hold the tears back.

 

“AHHHHH!”  I threw my racket across the yard and sprinted for the door.  Why me? I thought.  Why does this happen to me!  I threw the sliding the door open and collapsed on the floor in tears.  Everyone came rushing to me unaware of what had just happened to me.  My mom was the first to get to me.  She grabbed me by the arm and rushed  me into the bathroom.  I could feel the freezing cold water from the faucet flow down my hand.  Goosebumps popped up on my skin.

 

“Okay, Jacob, what happened?” mom asked.

“I got stung by a stupid bee!” I cried.

I was sitting by that faucet for about five more minutes before I started to feel a little better.  I got a glimpse of my through the last tears that were still streaming down my face.  It was a blood red color, but where was the stinger?  It wasn’t in my finger .  With the pain dying off I decided to show my parents where the bees nest was.  I was too scared to go actually go in the backyard  so I just told them which tree it was in and stood back.  After a few seconds of looking around the tree, they finally spotted it.  Between two, thin branches laid the bees nest.   It was about the size of thick, hardcover book.  It was a light brown color and was perfectly symmetrical.  Though the bee was dead, I was still scared of going to the backyard for the rest of the time that I spent at my grandmother’s house.

It was 6th grade and winter break for my school.  We got to Ski World around 12:00 am and checked in.  We walked outside to get our skis on.  My Mom, Ashton, Emory, and I were using ski’s and Drake and Andrew were using snow boards.  There was no one there, maybe a hundred people or more in the park.  Emory and I got on a ski lift together, then she said

    “ This is going to be so much fun!”

“ That is what you always say on every ski trap we go on” I replied.

 

    “ Well it always is Teddy you never think it is ever going to be fun” she said

 

“ NOT TRUE!”  I yelled.

 

We hopped off the ski lift and made our way to the others that were in a group talking and waiting for us.  I wounded who did they get up here so fast.

    “ Hey, there they are!” said my little brother Andrew

“ you guys took forever to get up here” said Drake

    “ Whatever” I replied.

Emory and I walk over to the group and began talking about a action plan.  My mom always had a action plan on every trip we took.

    “ OK guys here is the plan, we are going to make 3 runs and then eat dinner and leave” my mom said.

        “ OK” replied everyone.

And we made our way to the green trail that was the easiest trail out of all of them in the park. Everyone started down the green trail slow but the trail start to get faster and faster and faster over time.  I was in the front of everyone at the start but Ashton who was a ski teacher when she was in high school and she shot by me as fast as tiger could run.  So I thought that this is a challenge.  So I chased after her as fast as I could but I was too late she got to the bottom of the mountain before me.  I got in line for the ski lift with the other and I thought to myself, maybe I can have a race with the Ashton I might win but the problem how was I going to get past Ashton, she was to fast and she was skilled at skiing, I wondered.

“Hey Ashton, I bet you that I can beat you in a race” I said.

She started to laugh a bit but she stop right after, “ Teddy you can’t beat me in a race, I am to fast and I have to much skills” she replied.

    “Okay, but be warned I have a some tricks up my sleeve” I warned.

We got up to the top of the hill, and jump off of the lift and made our way to Black Diamond, the biggest hill in the park.  I thought wow that is a big mountain it looks like its going straight down.

    “ Are you ready to lose Teddy” She said, “nah, I am going to win this time” I replied.

I started counting down “ 3, 2, 1, GOOOOOO!” I shot down the mountain at high speed but it was not long before she got right behind me and she was trying to past me but I crouch down and I started to gain speed and a past the finish line and I WON!

    “I won, I beat you and you lose, YEA!” I yelled

“Shut up Teddy, people are looking at us” she replied.

    “ Sorry” I said.

We made our way up the mountain on the lift to the restaurant at the top of the mountain.  We all gather another a table we all ate dinner and I said

    “ Ashton you owe me a soda because I am the best skier ever in the world”

“ Whatever Teddy, I wasn’t even trying” she replied “YES you were, I saw your face Miss. Try Hard” I said.  We all laughed and then skied down the mountain one more time and packed up and lifted the park, I will never forget this victory for me.  I wound if next time she challenged me to a race, I will just tell her what happened when I challenged her to a race.

                    BY: Teddy

  “Jennifer! Come on, face your fear!”

My big sister Melissa begged me. I was getting begged to get on the tallest ride at Virginia Beach, The Slingshot. Deep down I knew,  I didn’t want to. I was scared to death. Although my uncle had already paid my entrance and no one wanted to take my place, so I guess I was getting on NO MATTER WHAT. My sister and I were next in line. I was nervous, but I thought to myself  “A lot of kids SMALLER than me go on and their fine, and so should I.” At that moment I felt confident but when I looked up, I saw the ball rolling, jumping and heard people yelling and their feet looked like it was going to fall off or break. The last kids came out dizzy and laughing. I imagined being up there already but it was time, Melissa and I were next. I saw Melissa’s face, she was smiling and ready to go. Melissa wasn’t afraid of heights, she loves scary and high things. They called us over, I slowly walked to the ride. I wasn’t sure of getting on, I had butterflies in my stomach, I was afraid, only bad thoughts came on my mind about this ride.  We sat down and the man made sure we were well secured. The man came over to us and told  us when he was letting us go. I was scared but also proud of myself for facing my fear. He told us this

“I’m going to countdown from ten “

he said. After a minute he was counting down, while that, the ball we were in started spinning.

“9…8…7…6…5… BOOM!!

The wind quickly hit my face, I could smell the Ocean salt water and the sea gulls very near me. I felt like I was going to fly off my seat. The ball was spinning very fast, in the background I could hear my sister laughing and yelling.

       I tried to look at the camera, because they were recording and taking pictures but it was hard. The ball was in the air rolling and my feet were hanging.  I was barefoot since my sandals would fly off on the ride. The Ride got scary at points but I just closed my eyes and screamed. When my eyes were opened I could see everything twisting around and upside down for a while. In my head I was wondering how long  was this ride, I felt like it was forever. When the ball was jumping and rotating, I could hear other people yelling in the other rides, yet the SlingShot was the highest one there. When they put us face down I  felt like we were falling off, because the seatbelt was kinda loose and you were rolling around in the seat. I felt very dizzy and my head started to hurt. I was enjoying the last part of the ride though. After being scared, for nothing! I knew this was the funnest ride that I had gotten on the whole year. The ride gave its last FAST spin in the air and came down slowly. I was kind of  mad how it was over and I was barely starting to like it. My sister told me that her throat was hurting, well off course it was she was yelling and laughing the whole time!

“Was it fun?” I asked “Ohhhh YESS!”

Replied Melissa. She wanted to go again. But instead she said

“Next Time”

       When we were at the bottom the man asked if it was scary I answered “Kinda” my sister said ‘No” right away. She was sure enjoying it once we got on.The man helped us out and I saw my uncle and my aunt laughing and smiling because we came out all dizzy.

 “Wasn’t that scary was it?” he said. “It was in the beginning but it was fun at the end.”

 I responded. My sister was proud of me, because I had faced my fear that day. I felt proud and confident also. I wanted to get on again, but instead I left it for next time. I couldn’t wait to come back and get on it again. That day at Virginia Beach was the best. Melissa and I enjoyed all the rides but especially the Sling Shot. It was getting dark on that Saturday night so we got our picture and went to walk by the ocean.

                                                                               Best Memory Of Virginia Beach 2013!

 

My cousin doesn’t like me now. I mean come on, just because I flipped your canoe, got you soaking wet from head to toe, and almost busted your phone but come on, don’t hate me for it.

                    It all started on a lovely Wednesday morning. The sky was blue  not a cloud in the sky, and the sun blazed the earth like it wanted to fry us. Our cousins had come from Texas to visit for the summer and they wanted to do something. Thing is  Emily, Genesis, and my sister didn’t want to go outside but Daniel and I did.

“It’s too hot out and we want to go to the beach” said Emily . She had just sat down at the dinner table and was waiting for food. My mom and my Aunt were making pancakes and cutting apples and pouring orange juice into our cups.

“ We just went to Ocean city last Saturday” postured  Daniel. He didn’t have much fun at the beach because he hated that the girls dragged him on his heels  to the  roller coaster. He was still mad at them for that and didn’t want to go back.

“ Lets do something that Daniel and I  want to do for once” I said. “ That way  you and Emily can pick the next thing we’ll do”.

“That sounds good to me” stated my sister. She was one of those people who could agree to things that were fair to everyone .

“ Okay then, Me and Enrique wanted to go kayaking today so why don’t we do that . Go for about two hours or so on the Potomac River.” asked Daniel, probably happy that he was going somewhere that wasn’t the beach.

“No!” protested Emily “ I don’t want to sit in a kayak for TWO whole hours rowing! Its gonna be boring” (O key my cousin my sound sassy  but hey, When you’re 16, you’re 16 )

“Emily” shouted her mom, “ just let the boys do something they want to do”.

“ Fine” She said , knowing that she couldn’t win. What a mom says is what goes.

     For the next two hours , we got prepared for the trip. Daniel was trying to find clothes in his suitcase that could get wet. Emily woke up Genesis, told her what was going on then started to take a shower(not sure why because she was most likely gonna get wet). My sister was getting food ready with the moms.And I was out in the back yard getting out our kayak and walked around to get in one top of the car. When we were set to leave, there was a teen foot long kayak strap to the top of the van, the rope look tight and strong, and that told me that it would hold till I untied them. After the girls stuffed all the food,water, and towels into the trunk of the car, it looked like the trunk would blow. We all got in, buckled up and heard the small roar of the engine starting up. We drove down to the banks of the Potomac River, to the the Marina a few minutes away from Mount Vernon(George Washington’s home). We park the car under a big tree to keep it cool from the hot summer sun.    “ Okay” said mom, “ you’re all going to each take something from the car , Daniel,Enrique, you two take down the Kayak and start walking it over to the docks”.

 Daniel and I got out of the car and I climbed on to the roof to untie the knots. I looked around and saw people were here and there,some running, others walking their  dog, or just having a outdoor barbeque. I looked out to see the river and the National harbor glowed in the distance. Man, you can get a really good look at the place from up here.

After we got all the knots taken care of, I said” Daniel, get to the back of the van and I’ll SLOWLY push it down “

 “Okay but don’t squish  me” he said, while walking to the back of the van.I slowly started to push it down, hoping that he had a good grip on it. Slowly, after a lot of “stop” and “wait”, we slung the kayak over our heads, stiffened  my elbows and started to walk down to the docks. I thought we look pretty funny cause all people saw were two bodies and a yellow Kayak on their shoulders , walking on the sidewalk .

  After  about a 3 minute walk , we made it to the docks. All around us there were so many types of boats. From small little fishing boats, to luxury yachts. When I grow up I want to have one of those beauties, I thought, looking at a huge white two deck yacht on the left side that probably had another floor underwater. We kept walking to the end,where there was a big shed with a boy standing next to it,  filled with lots of life jackets and oars, and canoe where all around.

 “ Hello there” he said.He was about as tall as 5 and  half inches, wearing green shorts and a plain white shirt and some sandals.

 “ Hello” I said, “ can we launch of your canoe over here?”I asked this because I looked across the shed and there was a plank like green mat just going into the water.

 “ You sure can” said the boy, “just put down your canoe over here” he pointed at the part of the mat that started going into the water” after that just get some jackets from the shed and you can be one your way”  . Daniel and I gently set the kayak on the mat and started to slide it into the water. It slid down smoothly into the water but we left the back half on land so it couldn’t float away. The we made our way into the shed and chose which jacket we wanted. I looked down the road to find two girls pulling a small cart and three adult women (although one look younger than the rest  ) heading our way. When the stopped at the ramp , my mom explained to the man that they bought a canoe for two hours and wanted help to find who was in charge.

 “ That would be me, my names Adam” said the man named Adam “ just go ahead and pick one that you guys want to use then get your life jackets and a pair of oars.”

 The girls picked out light green canoe that could fit four and went into the shed. Daniels mom told us to start packing the food. I sat at the front of the kayak then Daniel sat himself in the middle and my mom sat in the back. Adam came over and pushed our kayak into the water. The water was very shallow  so I stuck my paddle into the water and push ed so we moved further away from the docks . As I looked around, I saw many boats that were out in the water and had been tied to the river floor so they wouldn’t float away. There was a few pieces of wood floating on the surface of the dark blue water. I thought it look like a good view to me , and that is would be nice to take a swim at the moment. When we reached deeper water, we started to paddle our way, having to make sharp turns every now and then to not ram into a boat and headed into the areas that did not have any grass. We found the canal that lead to a small island at the mouth of the river we found a few years back. as we made our way to the turn that lead towards the island, I remembered about the girls . Man, how could I be so stupid. Me and dad were the only ones who knew where it was. I stood up and looked around and saw them only about a half mile away, in the maze of boats. I waved my hands and my sister waved back.

 “ Mom, the girls are over there lets just  wait for them” I said. We slowly stopped and you could see the small island in the distance, just a small plot of land with a trees. and a sandy shore. After about fifteen minutes I heard a “hay” and looked to see the girls canoe heading straight for us! “Pedal “ I shouted. Thank god Daniel  knew what I meant. He drop the book that he started to read and pedaled like crazy. How could they be so stupid to do  something like that. After they went passed us , We started to follow them to the island in the distance . When we were about to hit the sand, I jumped out into the water . I felt like i was taking a cold shower when i sank to the bottom but the water only went to my waist. I pulled the kayak into the sand bed and then pulled the front into land. I swam back and did the same for the girls . They bought the  out the hot dogs that they made and started to pass them out. After about an hour, we started to make our way back onto the boat. The girls got on their boat and I started to push them out. I kept pushing and the canoe started to tilt. I didn’t know that and as I kept pushing, the canoe flipped over , knee deep in water. The girls first reaction was to scream.

  “O MY GOD ENRIQUE!” Emily screamed. After a long time of grabbing things out of the water and taking out water, we left. For the rest of the day, none of the girls said a word to me. As soon as they got home, They took a shower and stayed in there rooms. As for Daniel and I, we had a laugh talking about what happened. Hey, what happens ,happens.

 

  “   I am not staying until 8:20 at night to see that band perform!”  My mom said.

 My mom and I were standing on a grassy hill at Merriweather Post Pavilion in

Maryland.  I switched my weight to my left, crossed my arms, and looked around.

People sat on the hill in skinny jeans or shorts, band shirts, with different colored

hair.  I smiled.  I loved the sight of everyone being different.  I looked back over at

my mom and my smile slowly faded as I remembered what I was in the middle of.

“ But that’s like the perfect time for them to play!  Bring Me The Horizon  playing

at night!  We have to stay!”  I argued.

Bring Me The Horizon is my favorite band of all bands and one of the main reasons I

came here, Vans Warped Tour ‘13.  An all day concert where one can feel at home.

“  We’ve been here since eleven, Classy.  You and your friend are going to watch the

next two bands play and then we’re leaving.  That’s final.”   She snapped.

 I groaned and sat on the grass with attitude, next to my friend, Andrea.

“  We can’t see BMTH.”  I sighed.

“  What?! But we have to!”  She threw her arms up in frustration.

 We watched Never Shout Never(a.k.a Christopher Drew) on the hill as he performed

my favorite song “ Cheatercheaterbestfriendeater” and sang along.  Then I got an

idea, and whispered it to Andrea. She nodded in agreement.

“ Mom, we need to get closer for Sleeping With Sirens.” I pleaded.

“Alright, let’s go.”

 

We walked to the gates that separated the field and the blue seats.  The gate had a crowd of

people waiting to enter, after all Sleeping With Sirens are pretty big. As soon as the lead

singer, Kellin Quinn, strutted onto the stage with the rest of the band following after,

the security guard opened the gate and everyone rushed in.

“ Hey everybody! How’s everyone doing out there?” Kellin asked with much enthusiasm.

The crowd screamed in response.

“Haha, well this is Warped Tour 2013! And we’re Sleeping With Sirens and we’re going

to play some songs for you guys! This one’s called ‘ A Trophy Father’s Trophy Son’!”

He announced, and everyone screamed with joy, everyone loves that song and it’s one

of my favorites.

“ Father, father, where have you been?…” He sung as we hopped down the large steps

towards the pit. The pit is the smaller area in front of the stage with no seats, and where

everyone jumps, moshes and crowd surfs.

 

“ Okay you two, I’ll be in the seats.” Mom said and walked away.

Andrea and I made our way to the gate just to be halted by a short man in purple with a white small pocket and having ‘Warped Tour Security’ sewed in.

“ Hold on girls,” said the guard. “ I can’t let you in there. Capacity is at maximum.”

“But there’s space for us right there!” I exclaimed, pointing to the open space.

“I’m sorry kids but once the band starts I can’t let you in.”

“Fine.” I sighed.

We stood on the steps instead.

“ Is this what you call a family?” He sung with the crowd singing along, and

swaying with the beat.

                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“ Thank you Warped Tour! You guys are the best.” Kellin through his fist in the air

and they walked off stage. Now was the time to put my plan in motion.

“ Hey mom, we’re going to go down there for this next band.” I called to her.

“ Okay you two but be back here when their done.” Mom replied. Me and

Andrea waited by the gate and made conversation with some guys in line

about Bring Me The Horizon. The guard opened the gate, and we were the

first to go in.

 

We tried to get as close to the front as possible and ended up behind

four people, pretty close. So here’s the plan: Andrea and I will go into

the pit for the band before BMTH, done. When this band is finished,

instead of getting out and going with my mom we’re going to stay here

for BMTH. Knowing my mom, she would never enter a closed in space

full of sweaty teens, or young adults, jumping and pushing each other. Also

like the man said ‘ once the band starts I can’t let you in’ so my mom

wouldn’t even be able to get in find me! We didn’t even know what band

we were watching! I was willing to do anything to see Bring Me The Horizon.

 

    The next band walked on with their heads held high. They didn’t announce their

name, they just played straight away. They played about 6 songs, thanked us,

and walked off. Bring Me The Horizon is next! It was dark out, and a while

later Oliver Sykes , lead singer, strolled on stage with his head down.

The rest set up their instruments. The instrumental played while Oliver

walked back and forth, preparing himself. I looked over to the seats and

saw my mom standing up searching the crowd for me. I quickly averted my

eyes and shrunk a little.

“ Andrea bend down a little!” I pulled her arm.

She looked over, saw my mom, and ducked real fast. I looked back up to see

my mom wasn’t looking anymore. It worked!

 

     I took my iPod out and hit record, I was going to watch this moment over and

over again. I was glad  they were playing this song first, “Shadow Moses”.  Before

he began to sing the crowd was already screaming the chorus. When we stopped

singing, Oliver started.

“ Can you you tell from the look in our eyes? We’re going nowhere. We live

our lives like we’re ready to die. We’re going nowhere. You can run but you’ll

never escape! Over and over again. Will we ever see the end? We’re going

nowhere.”

The song started slow but when the beat dropped everyone went wild. Everyone

was jumping, moshing, and crowd surfing. This is the way we let go. The way

we take away everything thats happening back at home, and replace it with this

feeling that we have now. This is how we let off our adrenaline. Here, we can

feel safe because no one can judge you because in some way we’re all the same.

When I realized that, it took my breath away. My favorite part was coming up.

It’s my favorite because all the music goes away and Oliver is singing “ This

is Sempiternal!”.

“… We’re going nowhere.” The music stopped. Oliver stood on stage with

his head down, legs together, and arms in a T-shape and his hands gesturing

“Come on”. At that moment, I swear every single person on the venue yelled

as loud as they could “ THIS IS SEMPITERNAL!”. It was so cool! The beat

dropped and things went crazy again. I couldn’t even keep my camera

still! Everyone was so close to each other that if you weren’t jumping, the

crowd would make you jump.

 

      The third song they played was the first song I heard by them,

“ Chelsea Smile”.  Before they started someone tapped me on the shoulder.

I turned to see a red faced girl with glasses.  Andrea.

“  Classy, I’m getting kind of claustrophobic!  I’m going to get out.”  She yelled over the noise.

“  You want me to come with you?”  I asked, begging her in my mind

to say no.

“  Do you want to?”  She raised her eyebrow.

“  No.”

“  That’s what I thought! You don’t need to come with me!”  She laughed

and walked away.  Bring Me The Horizon started the song.

“  I’ve got a secret. It’s on the tip of my tongue.  It’s on the back of my lungs,

and I’m gonna keep it.  I know something you don’t know.”

I sang along to every word. I moshed through the song and lost my

spot up front, so now I was in the back.  My favorite part was coming up

and I knew I needed to do something big.

“  I’m going to crowd surf.”  I accidentally said my thoughts out loud.

My adrenaline was so full right then, I cared for nothing.  I made eye

contact with the people around me and chanted “ Up, Up, Up,”. They

all nodded and picked me off the ground as I pushed myself up.  I felt

like I was flying when the crowd was passing me around. I laughed

and threw my hands in the air.  As the part came I threw my fist in the

air to the beat, and I sang along.

“  We all carry these things inside that no one else can see!  They hold

us down like anchors, they drown us out at sea.  I look up to the

sky, there maybe nothing there to see.”

The security guard grabbed me and let me down.  I ran down the barrier

still singing and giving random people high fives. I went back to my spot

and enjoyed the rest of the show.

 

        When the show ended I started to really antsy.  I didn’t know how my

mom would take my actions.  Disobeying her just to see a band?  That’s how

she would see it. Will she take away my electronics?  Ground me for months?

Tell my dad that I shouldn’t come back to Warped next year or ever?  Or

something even worse?  I started to regret ever staying.
“  Excuse me but you have to move from the exit.”  A different security

told me, motioning me to step towards the stairs.  I snapped out of my

thoughts and back to reality.  I’d been frozen in this spot.  I took a deep

breath, wiped my hands on my jeans, and made shaky steps towards my

mother and Andrea.

 

     My mom clear her voice when she saw me coming.

“  I see you stayed for that band anyway.”  She said, raising an eyebrow

at me, and folder her arms across her chest.

“  I-I had to…”  I strained to get out.

 My voice trailed off, knowing I was  probably in trouble.  My mom gave

me a hard look some more then her face lightened up.

“  Nice plan, girl”  She smiled at me.

“ I knew you weren’t going to come after us in that!”  I smiled back,

feeling the weight of the world lift off me knowing I was okay.  My mom

can be mean at times but she probably knew how much they meant to me.

Since I blab about them all the time to her, so she let me go this time.

Yeah, they do mean a lot to me.
“  I sure wasn’t!”  We all laughed and walked towards the exit.

 

A guy that worked there gave us a Warped Tour magazine with

pictures of some of the bands and how they were vegetarians.  I flipped

through it, pointing to pictures with Andrea, and admiring their faces.

When we were walking to our car, there was a group of people sitting

on the grass.  One guy in a tank top, sunglasses, with curly hair held

out his hand. Obviously expecting us to be coming from the concert.

“  That was awesome wasn’t it!” He exclaimed.

“  Yeah!”  I high-fived him, the sound of the impact echoing.
We three strolled off, laughing, to the car.

“  I love the people here!”  I laughed.

I’ll never forget this day, July 10th, 2013.

       We were at Water Country USA, It was a hot summer day in August, I was

burning up, and tired of walking. When We first got there we went to the lazy

river, and chilled there for a while. We enjoyed the breeze of the afternoon

sun,  and the water moving us forward, I felt like a singing fish. It was my younger cousin Forida, my older

cousin Dora ,  my Mom, and I.  After we went to the lazy river,  my Younger

Cousin and I decided to go on a slide that would drop us straight down kind of

like a dropzone. We begged our parents if we could get on that slide when we first  saw it, when

we first walked past they said maybe. My mom loves the lazy river so she was rushing to get

over there first, after Our parents let us. We got in line, and my cousin got the lines

mixed up “Ms.Lucy its this line!’’ she cried. I corrected her and told her that line

was for the fast pass. Once we got in line we met this girl her name was Abby.

“I’m soo scared” cried Abby. She was shaking like a leaf. We told Abby , we

were to.

          “ This is my first time going on a slide like this im so scared, i’m probably

gonna cry in the tube. My Cousin Florida was being nice, and sweet, but not me that

much cause i didn’t know the girl. At first i was confused “Wait, so were getting

on that ride?” i said pointing to the tube that someone was crying inside of, and watched her

getting dropped, screaming on the way down. “yep.” said the girl I

had a puzzled look on my face. My cousin eyes grew wide, and shocked. “oops’’

i said “I think we got in the wrong line!!” Abby just looked at me. I was scared.

       At the same time I felt bad because my cousin tried to tell me where the line

was and i totally dissed her. Now I was scared and I was shaking like a leaf, just

like abby. “I told you!!’ Cried my cousin. “I know i’m sorry.” she just looked at

me.  We were a in the middle of the line now. There were two tubes in the shape of

a half prism, both of them closed. There were two women that lead you to the tube

. A short brunette lady, and a blonde lady wearing USA shirt. I was surprised my

cousin didn’t punk out like she always did. She was right next beside me, and I

needed that to give me confidence. If she did it I could do it too. Every now, and

then, i thought about walking out of the line back to my mommy.

   I was really shocked that my cousin didn’t change her mind. Last time when we

went to Busch Gardens, I had to beg my cousin Florida to get on this ride with me. Even

when i begged she still didn’t get on with me. I knew she was scared because I

was too, But we were not backing down for nothing , to face our fear. The line

was getting smaller.

      It was just a few more minutes, until I would be dropped from a closed tube,

and dropped… into a tube. My heart was pumping out of my chest, it was almost

my turn. Abby went, and i wished her good luck. “3…2….1” in a matter of

seconds she was gone. They led me to the tube, cold water ran down  my back. I

saw my my little cousin Florida crying, in the tube across from me. I couldn’t feel my

feet just the cold water, i wanted out, but it was too late.. “3..2..1”. I flew down

the tube trying to sit up, so the water wouldn’t get up my nose. Twist Turn… Swirl

went the slide. It was the end. When i go off the slide, i was rejoiceful. At first I

couldn’t keep my balance, also i was so happy, and proud i did it. My mom, aunt and cousin were

laughing at me. I was so happy. A few seconds later, a few seconds later my cousin came down,

with her eyes closed. Feet up in the air. I was so happy I got over my fear.

The water seemed to drop away beneath us. The boat seemed airborne for a moment, then it splashed back down into the water with a bam, jerking the boat. Squeals of joyful laughter echoed over the wide clear bay. Crossing into the wake of another boat, our boat had hit the small waves like a ramp. Bam! The boat splashed through another wake. The kids laughed and hollered again. We were shooting through the water on our Grady White, a type of motor boat, and we were on our way to the best little bay for tubing. There was one reason, there were no jellyfish to ruin our day there!

 

    The boat started to slow, earning disappointed moans from all the kids piled in the front of the boat. Though we had slowed to a total halt, but no one was still sitting. Everyone raced around, tightening their life vests and arguing about who got to first. My father tied the rope to the pole, screwed into the back of our boat, so we could tube without getting the rope caught in the motor. I pulled the straps of my life vest and fixed my pigtails. I was excited and ready to go, and I knew I wasn’t going to fall.

 

  “Who wants to go first?” My dad asked tossing the kneeboard over the side of the boat.

 

A chorus of ‘I want to!’ and ‘Me!’ came only a moment after the words left his mouth. Eventually it was decided that my brother, James would get to go first. After a minute or two of splashing and laughter, James was ready to go.  My dad started the boat. The motor came on with a loud growl, and the boat shot over the small rolling waves. James was up on his knees, sliding along the wake.

 

I got the job of watching James and warning my dad if he fell. So when he flashed me a thumbs up, I told my dad James wanted to go faster. My dad turned up the engine, and James continued the ride. I sort of wanted him to fall. Though soon his turn was over, and he was back on the boat, dripping with water. Being closest to the back of the boat, and the kneeboard, I got to take a turn next. I climbed onto the little ledge on the back of the boat and slid into the water. the warmth of the bay surprised me, compared to the cold air whipping at my face when I rode on the boat. I clambered up onto the kneeboard, tightened the strap around my knees, so I wouldn’t fall, and shoved a thumb up into the air, symbolizing that that I was ready to go. The boat rumbled to a start and shot forward, carrying me with it.

 

I was up onto my knees in seconds, clinging the the handle attached the boat by rope. As we roughly started, I was scared that I would fall, but we settled. I slid over the water, gliding more like skis on snow then board on water. I laughed, feeling the thrill of the ride, and confidently let go of the handle with one hand and let the other trail in the water, my fingers splashing through the wake of the boat. I wouldn’t fall. Another boat has passed by earlier, and the wake of their boat was still rolling. I gasped as the board rocked over the waves and quickly placed both hands on the handle again. I tightened the knee strap so I wouldn’t slip off.

 

“Laney!”

 

I heard my brothers yelling my name to tell me that the boat was stopping, dragging their hand over their neck, the sign for stop. I nodded and showed them a thumbs up again, to say I understood. The boats engine sputtered as my dad turned it off and started to stop. I tried to slide down onto the board, but my knees were stuck in the strap! The unbalanced board flipped over, dragging me with it.

 

The warm, thick water was all around me, and I couldn’t breathe. I struggled against the velcro strap, panicked. My thoughts were hazy and full of panic and all I knew was that I needed to get my legs out. I kicked once more, thinking, I’m going to drown, but my legs slipped out and I floated up to the surface, coughing. As I burst above the surface and took a big breath of the salty bay air, relief was my only thought now. I climbed up onto the boat, dripping with water, and wrapped myself in a towel. I never wanted to kneeboard again.

I went over the terrifying scene again it my head as someone else started their turn in the water, but all I wanted to do was go home. It was the only time I could remember almost drowning, and I am overly cautious with the kneeboard strap now. I worry the same thing will happen to my little sister. When people ask why, I have a good reason. I would rather have been stung by a jellyfish, but that the only thing I was afraid of in the first place.

““Hey bro, wanna go ding-dong-ditching?” asked my friend Alex. Alex flipped his long brown hair to the side being impatient for an answer. Alex was also with our friend Lucas. Ding-dong-ditching was something Lucas, Alex, and I did a lot. Ding-dong-ditching is when you pick a house, and ring the doorbell. After you ring the doorbell you dash as fast as you can to a hiding spot and wait for the person to come out and be confused.

    “Uh, sure. JJ, I’m going to hang out with Alex and Lucas!” I screamed to my step dad.

    “Sure, be back at 6:30, and I will tell Mama that you are gone!” JJ hollered back.

   “OK! So where are going to ding-dong-ditch?” I asked after closing the door. I was ready to run, and I was ready to do something that is extreme.

“Lets go to Chalfonte, the people there are so strict, and its just so fun,” Lucas said. Alex, Lucas, and I were ding-dong-ditching experts. We knew where to ding-dong-ditch, and when.    “Sure, I’m up for it,” I said thinking challenge accepted.

   “OK lets go bro’s!” Alex said, and we started running for the street. Alex, Lucas, and I ran as fast as we could. Every time my foot hit the ground I felt a surge of energy go up to my heart. The cold October morning of 2012 brushed up against me, fighting my warmness off.

 

    “Here it is, the house that we shall ding-dong-ditch,” Lucas said with a tasty voice.

   “NOT IT!” I screamed, then Lucas screamed it. Every time we went ding-dong-ditching who ever would say, “NOT IT,” last would have to ring the doorbell.

“Looks like I’m doing it,” Alex hesitated to say. Alex started walking up the path way. Step by step he was going slower and slower. This house had a lot of stairs, and if Alex was not quick enough, they would catch him. Alex walked up the stairs, then rang the doorbell. Lucas and I were watching behind a bush, waiting for Alex to come.

“HEY!” A man screamed out of no where. I looked around to see where the noise came from, and it was one of the neighbors. Alex realized right after I did and Alex sprinted.

“RUN RUN RUN!” Alex yelled and he dashed down the street with Lucas and I right behind him.

I looked back for a split second, and the man was getting in his car. There was a fork in the road and we didn’t know what road to take, we hesitated to decide, then when Lucas started running to the street on the left, Alex Lucas and I followed. We turned to a hill, and this hill was impossible to run up. we sprinted up the hill, hoping we wouldn’t get caught. Lucas and I jumped into a bush, and Alex kept running.

“VROOM VROOM!” Screamed the man’s big chevy truck turning the corner to the hill, “GET BACK HERE!” The man yelled at Alex. The truck caught up to Alex, and Alex had no idea what to do.

“Get in the truck young man,” the stranger ordered Alex.

“Guys come with me,” Alex croaked to Lucas and I. Lucas and I decided to stay back, and watch Alex get “Kidnapped.” The stranger drove away with Alex, and Lucas and I were scared to death.

“Oh my gosh, what do we do!?” I cried. My heart raced. I could feel my heart pounding against my chest, almost like it was going to pump itself out of my body.

“I don’t know, here call, your mom!” Lucas cried back at me. I dialed my mom’s number into my iPhone and she picked up after one second.

“Mom, Alex got kidnapped!” I screamed into the phone, hoping she would respond quickly. I sighed in relief when she picked up.

“Ok, here I will come pick you guys up and we will look for him, where are you guys?” My mom quickly responded through the phone.

“We are at Chalfonte and Cameron Mills. Hurry Mom, and he was in a big black chevy, it was kind of old, and it was a truck.” My heart was pounding, and all I could think about is the kidnap. Lucas was pacing around the street, and I was sitting on the ground thinking. What happened was illegal and if we can not find Alex, he may be harassed or killed. I also knew Alex for 10 years. He is my best friend, and if anything would happen to him, I would mourn for the next month.

 

My mom reached us super fast. Lucas and I jumped into the Black SUV. My mom drove Lucas and I around the neighborhood. We only drove  Alex was no where to be found. We kept driving around, and then we saw the car parked. Lucas, my mom, and I jumped out, and went to the house it was parked at. Alex came running down the street, and he ran into Lucas and I.

    “Bro, we are going to talk to the man, come with us,” Lucas said.

    “Ok, I’m right behind you,” Alex responded. I could tell he was frightened just by the several cracks in his voice.

“Knock, Knock, Knock,” The door screeched when my mom knocked on it.         “Hello, how are you?” The man who kidnapped Alex said.

“Sir, you kidnapped this young man, why would you do such a thing. I think we need the police involved,” My mom strictly said to the kidnapper. When things in the neighborhood affect me or my family, my mom gets in to it, and she deals with it in the right way, I always trust her to help.

“No we don’t. I didn’t kidnap him. They ding-dong-ditched that house over there,  and that family definitely does not need to be ding-dong-ditched!” The man yelled at my mom. The man was furious. I could see his face red as a new red ferrari, and he looked like he was going to blow up right in my moms face.

    “There is no reason it yell, I’m right here,” my mom said trying to keep the man under control.

“Im sorry mam,” the man apologized in a calm voice.

“Its okay, but please don’t just take a kid and drive away with him. That’s scary and illegal, I could’ve told the police, you are very lucky.”

“I’m sorry mam, I will never do that again,” the man croaked.

 

  My mom took us into her car, and we drove Alex home first. Alex’s mom talked to Alex, and then Alex thanked me for calling my mom to look for Alex. Alex’s mom was crying and Alex’s dad was giving us a lecture never to ding-dong-ditch again, but we are the experts, so we are not going to stop for awhile.

   After the lecture my mom took Lucas home and Lucas ran inside and told his parents everything. My mom apologized about what happened, then we drove home.

  “Chase, you are better than this. You are not supposed to disturb people in our neighborhood. This makes me look like I can’t take care of you,” my mom quietly said.

    “I’m sorry mom, I won’t do it again. I promise,” I lied.

    “Just don’t do it again. Please don’t,” my mom begged.

    “Okay I won’t, like I said, I will never do it again,” I lied.

    Later that night Alex’s mom and dad drove by where I was walking, and Alex’s mom came out and gave me a big hug. I could barely breath, but she was very thankful that I saved Alex. After she was gone, I thought about what happened, I thought that I did a bad thing that resulted into a good thing. I felt good about myself even though I did something bad.

 

   After a year Alex moved to Paris, and the ding-dong-ditching came to an end. Lucas and I were no longer experts, but will soon start again.