Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections She By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 2 Issue 5 March 28, 2022 Image provided by Today She stares at the sun While everyone else has fun She closes her eyes and takes a breath While everyone else talks about life and death She goes ahead and takes a nap While everyone else plays a game called Trap Everyone besides her likes to have fun While she likes to look at the sun Everyone besides her likes to chat While she likes to lay on the ground flat Everyone besides her likes to play games While she likes to think about all her nicknames People wonder why She's so shy She can't answer their questions Because she's too busy with her collections Everyone stares at her Wondering why she's not happy She's too busy thinking about her past To talk about the forecast People waste their time on nonsense She just thinks it’s all a disturbance She likes to choose her words carefully People decide it’s more important to be friendly She wonders why people talk all the time She'd instead write a poem that rhymes People want to sit and talk She'd instead take her dog on a walk People like to dress up and attend parties She'd rather talk to a bunch of smarties People like to fight with their siblings She'd instead stare at paintings Her little sister loves to waste her time While she likes to make lemonade with limes Her little brother likes to play weird games No wonder why people call him names She stares at the sun While everyone else has fun She closes her eyes and takes a breath While everyone else talks about life and death She goes ahead and takes a nap While everyone else plays a game called Trap People like to keep up with the latest trends She'd rather wear the same clothes as her friends She doesn't get why people waste their time on useless things When everything you need is in your savings She's not like everyone else, so what? At least she's not wasting her time trying to act like she's smart. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Advice: Friends and Poetry Aamna Raja Volume 5 Issue 3 January 14, 2025 Image Provided by Elaine Ching “Hi! I'm a student here at North and I fear that I’m in a bit of a pickle! One thing about me is I LOVE writing poems, but I HATE reading them to others. I was with my friends the other day and who I THOUGHT was my best friend forever, grabbed my diary and read a bunch of my poems to the WHOLE CAFETERIA!! Please, what should I do? I love my best friend so much. We love shopping and going to Hot Topic together, but I don’t know how to confront them about this. My heart is broken.” -Pedro Hey there Pedro! To start, I want to let you know that your feelings are valid- trusting someone with something as personal as your poetry, only to have that trust betrayed in a public way, must have been heartbreaking. You are in no way, shape, or form overreacting. I can’t take that feeling away, but I can help you formulate a plan to try and get some inner peace. Firstly, reflect on your feelings. Try and figure out exactly what you’re feeling. Are you angry? Embarrassed? Hurt? Understanding these feelings is important before taking any action. You seem to already have an outlet to cope: writing poetry. I understand if you’re scared it will happen again. In this case, it is best to write this poetry at home or maybe even in a locked note on your phone. It will not only give you clarity on your situation, but also help you figure out how to go about the next step: starting a conversation. Confrontations don’t need to be dramatic and emotional. You can talk to your best friend (let’s call him Dylan) and ask to go to a Hot Topic. While shopping, you can safely express your feelings in an environment you both feel comfortable in. When communicating with Dylan, try and remain calm, as anger will only complicate your emotions further. Your goal is to try and mend your relationship as best you can, not to start a fight. After this, take some time to reflect on whether you’re able to rebuild your trust. Maybe at the food court while getting Addams Family Burger King milkshakes and listening to My Chemical Romance . Remember, you do not have to show him your poems again if you decide to trust him once more; they’re your safe outlet. Pedro, even the strongest of silver chain necklace bonds have their ups and downs. You can try your best to mend the relationship, but don’t give in so much effort that it becomes a chore. You got this! Stay strong Pedro, -Aamna BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Roses for Valentine’s Day By Angelina Odone and Elaine Ching Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by Good Housekeeping In any high school, there is bound to be drama. And Salem High School is in no way different. There’s always bound to be some sort of love triangle. And in this case, it involves some of the smartest people at their school. Hi, I’m Decennia Jeong, and I’ll be telling you about these idiots at my school who annoy everyone with their antics. Well, some of them are more annoying than others. Firstly, there’s my best friend, Adaline Chu. I love her, but she can be extremely petty when someone upsets her. That certain someone would be Ezra Popescu, an egotistical, talkative maniac. And along with him comes his silly little girlfriend, Cathy August, another annoying fool who has no common sense. Sadly, a ton of academic knowledge is wasted on them. They have no common sense, and they’re severely oblivious. Adaline Chu is a brilliant girl who’s interested in social studies and dreams of becoming a history teacher. This doesn’t require her to work that hard in school, but she does it out of pure vengeance for Ezra Popescu. He, too, doesn’t need to work that hard, and he wants to be a graphic artist. He, too, has a deep hatred for Adaline. Ever since meeting in the sixth grade, they’ve had an academic rivalry. One that requires them to be horribly mean to each other. For example, Adaline calls Ezra “Egotistical Eggo,” “Eccentric Eyesore,” or “Eerie Earthquake.” Any of the few, but never his real name. As for Ezra, he too has many unkind names for his rival, “Annoying Addie,” “Agonizing Abomination,” and “Arrogant Angel.” Of course, they also call each other a few censored names that I won’t say out loud. As for Cathy August, she wants to be a pediatrician, so she is justified in taking her studies very seriously. She and Ezra have known each other since they were five. They’ve been friends for practically forever but have only just started dating during freshmen year. Considering it’s now their junior year, they go out on vintage movie drive-ins and are annoyingly clingy in the hallways, so much so that they’ve gained the reputation of “never been seen alone.” Due to the relationship status of Cathy, she also has a deep hatred for her boyfriend’s rival, Adaline - given the fact she’s extremely smart and Cathy has suspicions about her potential relationship with her boyfriend. While we could go through their whole lives, I would dare to say that the most interesting and annoying encounter of the trio was on Valentine’s 2019, pre-covid. Adaline’s POV It all started like any other day. During the first period, it was announced that the juniors and seniors would be let out for a special competition revolving around a charity for the Pediatric Hospital of Salem. I looked over at my best friend, Decennia, and we both looked at each other, thankful that today won’t be another day filled with AP classes and listening to the “never been seen alone” couple throughout the whole day. The class president, Bethany Rivera, also talked about how seniors will be going door to door asking for donations, while the juniors will be going to local stores and asking for sponsorship. Two people from each grade: if they gathered the most money by 4 p.m. that day, they will be granted an invitation to the hospital’s charity dinner and a trophy to be shown at the school. I look around our AP Art class, don’t judge me, I’m good at art, and I needed a GPA booster to beat Eccentric Eyesore, deciding who’s the biggest competition. Immediately my eyes landed on good ol’ Egotistical Eggo and his girlfriend, Cathy. And to my surprise, they aren’t as chatty as usual. They actually seem kind of sad and quiet. Must be trouble in paradise. I don’t actually mind Cathy, but she’s practically connected to the hip to Eggo, so she’s annoying by association. While the rest of the announcements finish up, I whisper over to Decennia. “We’re totally partnering up for this, right?” “Obviously. It’s not like they won’t let us choose teams, knock on wood.” I give her a thumbs up and go back to listening to the announcements. Once they finish, our tired teacher, Mr. Daniel, is gathering some papers. I’m assuming they’re for the competition and not some new art project. He stands up and begins talking. “As you all know from the announcements, you’ll be allowed to leave class right after the first period ends. However, until then, I will be announcing your partners and handing out the papers needed to complete this contest.” I shot Decennia a dirty look, insinuating that she didn’t knock on wood hard enough. She just shoots back a shrug and mouths, “Can’t be that bad.” Mr. Daniel starts reading the names off his list. I wouldn’t mind most of the people in this class, except for a few. “Decennia and Lola.” “Max and Jason” “Cathy and Jojo” I glance over at Eerie Earthquake and Cathy, and to my surprise, they don’t seem that upset. “Sofia and Samuel” “Hannah and Hank” My adrenaline and annoyance rise as I realize there aren’t that many names left. Most of the people I would hang out with are gone, but I would do anything to not have to work with him. “Harry and Sanna” And those are the last two names other than ours. To my disappointment, Mr. Daniel announces the last two names. “And last but certainly not least, Adaline and Ezra.” Great, just great. “Well, class, remember that this is not some fun day off, as you are raising money for a great cause. So don’t use this as a romantic getaway from your academic troubles. Please try to win this contest. And don’t forget to finish your sixth piece for your portfolio! Now you should all meet with your partners.” Decennia shoots me a remorseful look as she gets up to meet with Lola, a nice kid who’s known for drawing extremely detailed portraits. While I groan and get up to go meet the eyesore of a guy. I take my time and walk extremely slowly, hoping he just asks to switch our partners, so he can be with Cathy, and I can be with Jojo. By the time I sat down, Cathy’s gone. Surprising, but maybe they’re just playing by the rules. He just looks at me, except he looks tired; he doesn’t look like his usual annoying, ambitious self. “Soo, we’re partners, and clearly neither one of us wants to have to work with each other, so I was thinking that I could switch with Jojo, so you can work with Cathy, and I won’t have to work with you, and that’s probably the best idea given the fact that both of us will be happy and-” “Stop rambling, please.” “Rude.” “Look, I don’t think the school wants us switching partners since it’ll just be easier if they already know the teams since they’re predetermined. Plus, this makes it easier for them to assign the invites.” “Okay, but we hate each other.” “We would also both hate being punished by the school.” “True.” “So, we’re a team then?” “Ugh, fine.” “Trust me, it’s not exactly my favorite pastime to have to partner up with you, Arrogant Angel.” “I know. It must truly bother an eyesore like you to have to work with someone as great as me.” “Well, someone clearly doesn’t understand oxymorons.” “I know; you can’t even admit it, Eggo.” “At least I come up with better nicknames than a waffle brand.” “You just don’t deserve anything that requires creativity.” “You just can’t come up with anything better.” “You know I could...must we go over every achievement I’ve had-” Just when I was about to flaunt all my awards and titles on them, I was interrupted by the bell signaling we were allowed to leave and begin our contest. I stood up and smoothed down my light pink ruffled dress. I chose it for today; it fits appropriately, I would believe. I picked up my messenger bag. Thankfully, I don’t have to stop by my locker, so we have plenty of time to get a head start. I watch him pick up the backpack, and as he puts it on, I notice his sweater has a Bugs Bunny head on it. And he has the nerve to call me “generic”. Thankfully, today is warmer than usual, so neither of us has coats. I walk out into the hallway and grab the papers for the contest, and he follows suit. We pass by the complaining ninth and tenth graders, thanking whatever god there is that I’m a junior. While we’re walking, he starts the conversation, “So, since we’re going to be going to multiple places, I would assume we should take one car? I know I can barely stand being next to you, but this way, we would save energy, and it would just be easier overall”. “Fine, but only for the environment.” I walk to school anyway, so it’s not like I had a choice, but he doesn’t need to know that. We head out into the parking lot, where he leads me to a small, blue Toyota with an array of decals on the back window. Most of them are cute; at least he seems to have good taste in car decals. He slides into the driver’s seat while I slide into the passenger seat. I flip down the mirror as a reflex and check myself. My heart earrings and necklace are in place, as is my red headband and my white cardigan isn’t out of place either. Luckily, my eyeliner is also still in check. I notice him looking at me with an annoyed expression. “What? Have you ever seen anyone make sure they look presentable? I know you can be stupid, but I would think you would pick up on this typical human habit, no?” I say since clearly, he doesn’t intend on starting the conversation. “I’m just amazed at how a person can be so self-absorbed that they don’t hear their partner asking where they want to go first.” Oops . I blush out of embarrassment because I certainly wasn’t expecting that. “Oh, um, sorry about that.” He sighs and then manages to speak in the most annoying voice, “It’s fine, but would you mind answering the question?” “Sure, let’s just go to the main street and work our way out from there?” “No, everyone will be there.” “If you weren’t going to follow my advice, why even ask me?” “Well, I thought you would have good advice, but clearly, I was wrong.” “Aw, you had some respect for me! I’m flattered,” I say in the most sarcastic voice I can muster. He rolls his eyes and responds with, “We should start with the stores that are the farthest away from here and work inwards.” “Fine, your car, your rules.” “Great.” It isn’t the greatest idea in existence, but I don’t really care that much. As much as I hate him, he can be smart. Of course, he’ll never know I feel that way about him. We drove in silence until I started fidgeting with the radio. I flip stations, but I can’t find any that seem to be playing good music. I just shut it off and go through my bag until I find my headphones and connect them to my phone until he interrupts me with a snarky response, “Oh come on, Annoying Addie, I know you’re rude and unbearable, but I would think you wouldn’t listen to music when you’re hanging out with someone?” I snap back with, “We’re not hanging out, and I don’t hear you speaking, do I?” He’s quick to respond with, “Fine, let’s play a game.” “What type?” “We can alternate in asking things like our favorite foods, colors, teachers, etcetera.” I’m perplexed given the fact that I don’t think he has any interest in me, but I overcame it and started the game, “Okay, I’ll start, favorite teacher?” I ask. “Pomerado.” “You?” “Murray.” “Favorite food?” “None.” “How can you not have a favorite food?” “I love all food; I can’t just choose one.” “Fine.” “Why do you call me eyesore?” “Because we don’t like each other?” I wasn’t expecting anything too personal, and I’m confused as to why they’re asking this now but offer the most obvious answer. “Oh, well, you don’t mean anything like Uhm, it’s not like I’m ugly or anything, right? Well, you don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to, but I was just wondering since it’s been eating at me inside for a while and none of my nicknames for you relate to your physical appearance since that would be extremely rude and um, I just wanted to ask you.” Does Ezra actually take my insults to heart? All this time, I just figured that it was in one ear and out the other, but, clearly, it’s affecting him. I actually feel bad for him, but just this once. “Look. When I insult you and call you names, I don’t actually mean it. Especially not ‘eyesore.’ I only mean it when I call you egotistical.” He doesn’t respond, but I can see a sense of relief in his expression. I truly thought he didn’t actually take the insults seriously. I mean, we’re enemies . I assumed it was obvious that we would be mean to each other in every way – it’s just how things were. Does he seriously care about what I think? He doesn’t say a word to me for the rest of the car ride. I couldn’t tell if he was angry or if he was just stuck in his thoughts. Whatever it was, it doesn’t matter. I was just happy we only had a few minutes until we arrived at our destination. We finally make it to our first stop: a small plaza right outside of Salem. We get out of the car and walk to the nearest store, which is a tiny boutique. We step into the store, which is very pastel, and decorated with the cutest Valentine’s Day decorations. I step in front of him and walk up to the owner. “Hey, kiddos, what can I do for you guys today?” As I begin to recite the introduction, I had come up with on the car ride, Ezra cuts me off. “Good morning, ma’am. We’re juniors at Salem High School, and our school has challenged us to obtain sponsorship from stores around the city. We are supporting the Pediatric Hospital of Salem. All you need to do is sign here, which will be physical proof of your support. You will also be delivered signs and other ‘decorations’ that will encourage shoppers here to support the cause.” The lady’s face lights up with a smile. “Well, I’d be delighted to support your cause!” She takes his pen and fills out the form. We thank the lady, and as we walk out of the store, I roll my eyes. Of course, he had to steal my thunder like that. I planned out exactly what I was going to say, but I shouldn’t act surprised that he decided to take the lead rather than me. We walk down the sidewalk to the next store, and as we’re walking, a question arises: what’s going on with him and Cathy? They were acting so weird around each other in class earlier, but I didn’t want to ask anything. But now I was curious. And the more I thought about it, the more curious I became. “Did something happen between you and Cathy?” “Why do you ask?” “I don’t know; you just seemed a bit cold towards each other in class earlier. It was odd since you guys are always connected at the hip. It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me; I mean, I’m decent enough of a person to respect your privacy, whether or not we get along.” “Wow...such a rare sighting. You...being nice to me? I’m shocked. I didn’t know you were capable of such a task!” I roll my eyes at that. “You’re avoiding my question.” He laughs. “It’s nothing. We’ve just been having slight problems, lately, that’s all.” I quickly glanced at him. The laughter and certain tone threw me off, but everything else said otherwise. He and Cathy were definitely not fine. But I wasn’t going to ask again because I didn’t want it to seem like I cared. Well, I didn’t care. Or at least that’s what I told myself. We walked into the next store: the ice cream parlor. I check to make sure that I have my wallet just in case I end up wanting a scoop or two. When we walk into the store, the man greets us immediately with a huge smile on his face. “Mornin’ you two! What’s a young couple like you doing out so early? Shouldn’t you be at school?” I almost fell backward at that comment. Ezra laughs. “No, sir, we’ve actually come to ask you for your-” “-for your support and sponsorship in supporting the Salem Pediatric Hospital. Our school has challenged us to go out and ask for the shop owner’s support. All you need to do is fill out this form, and we’ll deliver you all the supplies needed to showcase your support to all your customers.” I hand the man the form, and as he fills it out, Ezra mutters to me, “It’s actually the Pediatric Hospital of Salem.” I give him a death stare. “Oh no! Now the shop owner will never know what I was talking about!” Ezra smiles, and we turn back to the man. “Have a great day, sir!” “You too, kids.” “Wait a second. While we’re here, can I get a scoop of chocolate in a cup?” I was not leaving without ice cream. “Great idea. Can I get a cookie dough scoop?” “Coming right up!” “You brought the money?” I ask Ezra. “I think I have my card in my pocket.” He searches through all his pockets and looks at me worriedly. “I think I forgot it in my locker.” “Seriously?” “Can you please buy it for me? I swear I’ll pay you back when I get the chance.” “Fine,” I say, annoyed, “but only because the man already scooped the ice cream.” I pay the man, and we make our way outside. We make our way down the sidewalk, and we enter all the open stores as we walk. Every store, we say the same thing. We ask the shop owner for their support, they say yes, we give them the form, and we leave. We finish off the plaza in a matter of forty-five minutes. To be fair, it’s a relatively small plaza. As we head back to the car, I start to rethink all these years. Maybe Ezra isn’t as bad as I’ve always made him out to be. Maybe he’s just annoyingly smart. Always beating me at everything we did. I just wanted to win at something, and it forced me to paint a really bad picture of him in my head. To be honest, he was quite fun to be around. And I definitely meant what I said about not being serious about the whole “eyesore” thing. I can’t think like that, though. I have to resist. Because if I don’t, everything I’ve worked so hard for in the past five years will be put at risk. As I come back to reality, I notice Ezra staring at me in a confused way from the driver’s seat. He had been staring at me like that for the last few minutes because I was just standing there. Whoops. I open the door and hop into the passenger’s seat. “I suppose you’ve decided to join me in the car finally?” “I suppose I have.” We drove in silence. After a few minutes, he breaks the silence with something I never actually thought that I’d hear. “Cathy and I broke up.” “Actually?” “Yeah. I don’t know if you could tell before today, but there have been some tensions. She was a bit possessive, and anywhere that I went, she went. Anything I did, she did. Y’know, there are some things that people just want to keep for themselves. TV shows, music artists, books, all of that stuff. If I liked something, she also would miraculously decide that she liked it, and she’d pretend it was a coincidence. If I was ever somewhere without her, she would question me for hours on end – and I’m not even exaggerating. It wasn’t fun. And anyway, somebody else captured my attention. I didn’t want to lead her on and make her think I was still into it when I wasn’t.” Out of all the things that I expected him to say about him and Cathy, that was not one of them. I knew that they’d had their fair share of fights throughout the years, but they always made up in the end. I guess this was their last straw. We continue down the main road. After about ten minutes, I begin flipping through the radio stations. I finally came across a good song – “Message in a Bottle.” It’s a great song, but it definitely did not fit the situation and mood of the car. He hums along to the song. At least I can tell he’s got good music taste. We pulled up to the larger shopping center. It’s a bit further away from our school, so there aren’t any of our classmates here. This shopping center was huge. The best part was it was all our territory to work with. We decided to split up, so we could cover the whole area in half the amount of time. Once we finish that shopping center, we move on to the next, and we keep using that strategy until it’s time to return to school. On the way back to school, we counted how many shops we had. We counted thirty, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but once we got back to the school, we realized how much that really was. Everyone else had around half of what we had, with the closest to us being twenty-four. We met Bethany Rivera in the main office. “Congrats, you guys! You’ve won the challenge!” “I guess that means our strategy worked!” I say to Ezra with a smile. “That also means that you two get to go to the hospital’s charity event tonight!” Honestly, I totally forgot about the event. I was too caught up in the fact that I was actually having a good time with Ezra. Bethany gives us all the details about tonight’s event. “It begins at 7:00 p.m. sharp. Don’t be late!” We say goodbye to Bethany, and we begin to walk to our lockers. He gives me a smile. “I actually can’t believe we won the challenge.” “Same. And out of all people, I could’ve won this with. Who would’ve thought that we would actually make a pretty great team?” “Good point. And I actually had a lot of fun today. I think I was wrong about you, Addie.” He rummages through his locker and hands me the money he owes me. “You don’t have to give me the money. It was only a few bucks; it really doesn’t matter.” He gets his money back. “So, I guess I’ll see you tonight, Ezra?” “Are we on a real-name basis now?” “I guess we are.” When I got home, I found that he had slipped the money into my bag when I wasn’t looking. It took me a little while, but I managed to perfect my makeup, and I slipped my lilac-colored dress on. Not too fancy, but nice enough that I won’t look out of place. Ezra was picking me up – for the environment. He pulls me up to my house, and I wave goodbye to my family. I struggle a little bit to walk down my driveway in my heels. I’ll get used to it – I figure I should just sit as much as possible during the event, so I don’t embarrass myself. I hop into the passenger seat of his car. “You look really nice,” he says to me, which I really appreciate. “Thanks, it took super long to get ready, though. You look incredibly nice yourself.” “Thanks.” He pulls up the address of the venue on his phone. We talk and laugh as we drive, and it feels like we’ve been friends with each other forever. Funny how that checks out – I quite literally hated him this morning. We pull up to the venue – at 6:58 p.m., just on time. We walk up to the entry, and we tell the people our names. As we find our seats, he begins to say something, but he gets cut off by someone on the stage, beginning the ceremony. The speaker begins to announce people’s names – people who have made large contributions to the hospital. Eventually, the speaker announced our names. We follow the lead of everyone else, and we stand up and wave. It felt nice to be applauded and praised for something. The ceremony only lasts about twenty-five minutes, and then they begin to serve food. Everyone was mingling with the people at their tables, but for us, it was only the two of us. Ezra begins to say what he is saying before the ceremony begins. “Do you remember when we were in the car, and I was telling you about Cathy?” “Yeah, how could I forget?” “Remember how I said that there was someone else who had been on my mind?” “... Yeah” “Well, I know this sounds a little weird, and I probably should’ve saved this for the end of the dinner, so I don’t make anything awkward, but it doesn’t matter now. I know we have had a rivalry for years. But the person who I have been thinking about lately is you. I didn’t want to think anything of it at first because I thought that nothing would become of it anyways – I assumed you thought I was the absolute worst person ever, but after today I don’t think you think of me like that anymore, so I figured that-” “After today, it’s hard to deny liking you, but I think I do, and I think I have for a while now. I just mistook my feelings of attraction for hatred.” He smiles at me and holds out a bouquet of roses. I return his smile, and he puts his hand on mine. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections The Warden By Augustine Magapan Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Image provided by Gamespot.com Minecraft , the famous and adored overworld sandbox game, has implemented numerous updates throughout the last two years. For instance, new animals and mobs have emerged, along with new and improved biomes and items. These updates have caused Minecraft to diverge from its traditional playing style, allowing players to explore the depths and intricacies of the game. However, Minecraft has failed to develop a strong, powerful mob for many years. This new update consists of a singular mob with an unfamiliar territory within caves. It is known as The Warden. The Warden is the latest mob of Minecraft’s latest update "Caves and Cliffs” (update 1.17). The mob stands out due to its parallels to a giant blue which lacks all facial features besides a mouth. Furthermore, the creature sports horns along the sides of its head, along with vastly extended arms. While the mob’s physical features are not its specialty, its heartbeat aura at the center of its chest yields utmost importance and prominence. It reminds me of the P.E.K.K.A. from Clash of Clans, another golem-like creature with intricate armor. Furthermore, the Warden’s lack of facial features makes it the first blind mob added to Minecraft . To track players, the Warden will use the sensors coming from the horns to detect vibrations. In that sense, players are advised to utilize sound to distract the mob. Mojang developers stated that the mob is not meant to be fought, for it has 84 health points. In regular Minecraft health, that is 42 hearts. The primary purpose of the mob is to scare the players and guard valuable loot in its domain. Additionally, the developers have made its attack strength to be 31 hit points (15.5 Minecraft Hearts) which will result in a swift death if players engage contact with the mob. Even with netherite armor (the strongest armor in the game), players will die in one or two hits from The Warden. If the player decides to engage in combat with The Warden, it will become faster and stronger when attacked. Even if players attempt to distract The Warden by using other noises, it is still locked onto the player as they have already inflicted damage upon the mob. It is demonstrated to have an audible heartbeat. The more the mob is attacked, the stronger the heartbeat in the middle of the Warden’s chest grows. Knowing that the Warden is a strong mob that will guard valuable loot in its domain, the domain is not clear yet. These mobs are found in deep dark caves, located within the deepest depths of the world. In this terrain, the area is very dark which makes the environment nonvisible to players. This allows The Warden to scare and attack players. Additionally, if The Warden is near, all light sources will flicker. Overall, I believe that this mob will bring more challenges and thrill to Minecraft due to its overpowered physics and its scary aura. Some players have begun making conspiracies and theories about the new mob as well. Additionally, The Warden has become an immensely popular mob on the internet for some time and some fans even got a chance to experience gameplay with the mob. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections Culture Society Celebrates Chinese New Year By Barnit Kaur Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Original photos from the Culture Society On January 21st and February 11th, the Culture Society at North High School hosted an event in celebration of Chinese New Year. In the event, we had two members of the Culture Society who celebrate Chinese New Year, Lucy Wu and Elaine Ching teach us about the various traditions and characteristics about Chinese New Year. From the presentations they prepared, we learned about what Chinese New Year was, festive decorations, traditional dishes, Chinese sayings, and the Chinese Zodiac. Along with learning about the traditions of Chinese New Year, we also had two fun little arts and crafts activities. Lucy taught us how to make Chinese New Year lanterns, and Elaine taught us how to make Origami Oxen, since 2021 is the year of the Ox. Some of the festive decorations that used in Chinese New Year are lanterns, firecrackers, and red envelopes, which children receive money in. The red envelopes are meant as a blessing and sign of good luck. Chinese New Year is also celebrated in many Asian countries besides China and is based upon the Lunar Calendar and cycle of the moon. Unlike western zodiacs, Chinese zodiacs are based upon the year rather than the month. When you celebrate Chinese New Year, you get together with your family and eat a big meal together. Also, it is a tradition to wear red to scare away bad luck. One of our fellow members of the Culture Society, Cody Sung, shared his thoughts and opinion about the event. “I think the event was very fun and educational! Especially the origami ox. I made a pretty good ox. All the information is on par, at least to my knowledge. I think everyone had a great time and I hope to do more events like this!” Personally, I agree with Cody! The event was very entertaining and educational, and the arts and crafts part of the event was my favorite. I had a great time, and I also hope for more events like this. If you want to participate in events like this, join the Culture Society on Teams by clicking the link. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections The Enigma That is STRANGER THINGS By Alain Deen Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Image provided by Stranger Things A Cultural Phenomenon Figure 1 – Stranger Things Viewership In relation to Netflix Subscription Rate – Business Insider Stranger Things rose to prominence in July of 2016, gaining massive popularity throughout its years on the popular streaming service, Netflix. The show’s 80s and melodramatic nature are its most pertinent appeals. The series seems to appeal through a generational lens, as adults fawn over the nostalgic instances of 80s culture, underscoring their sheer nostalgia for that era. In terms of youth, the series presents a compelling rendition of 80s culture, allowing teens to explore their parents’ culture. While most teens cringe at their parents blasting The Clash’s 1982 hit, “Should I stay or Should I Go” at 11 PM on a random Thursday, Stranger Things broke this trope, presenting this song to a new generation of listeners in a smooth, introspective fashion. In short, the series proves to be an integral portion of late 2010s and early 2020s culture, as its levels of popularity have set a new standard for digital streaming surface. To further preface this feat, the show’s third season reached unprecedented levels of popularity. Within four days of release, 40.7 million Netflix accounts viewed Stranger Things 3 , amassing global popularity in a matter of days. It broke the record for Netflix’s largest-ever audience for a movie or TV series in a four-day window. Ironic Success Stranger Things has risen to be the fourth most popular Netflix series ever. Stranger Things 3 has been streamed over half a billion times, demonstrating its global appeal across a generational lens. However, with all of this success, it is worth noting that the series may evolve into a victim of its own success. The Duffer Brothers crafted something astute in nature. The show’s witty dialogue, heartfelt character interaction, and compelling subplots account for its success. Furthermore, the series has reached record feats of popularity due to its lovable characters, introspective acting, intricate cinematography, and retro aesthetic, underscoring the notion that replicating such success may prove very challenging for the Duffer Brothers. Many fear that the fourth rendition of the series may ruin the unique and compelling nature of the earlier seasons. In other words, one bad season may tarnish the Duffer Brothers’ million-dollar franchise, along with the young actors put on a pedestal due to the show’s success. After the third season, it was widely believed that there was no further direction for the series to head, even though it left viewers on a rigid cliff hanger. Why a Season 4? In most cases, audiences tend to remember the one lackluster rendition of a series in contrast to the artistic prowess facilitated by the more successful installments. Interestingly enough, this occurred with the Shrek Franchise. While Shrek 1, Sherk 2, and Shrek 4 were critically acclaimed films by audiences alike, Shrek the Third ruined the franchise for many, proving to be a cheap money grab in contrast to a compelling, structured story as seen with the first two films. This generated a lot of resentment toward the creation of a fourth film. However, DreamWorks created the fourth with the intention to promote well-structured storytelling, highlighting its success. Stranger Things might face a similar fate. Due to the record-breaking success of the third season, along with the slew of profit generated, many fans fear the Duffer Brothers announced a new season on the basis of profit in contrast to genuine storytelling. In my opinion, I believe the Duffer Brothers have another great season of supernatural storytelling in store. My Rationale As season four, was set to release on May 27th, 2022, fans had been awaiting the new season for about three years. Interestingly enough, the Duffer Brothers have taken a different approach this season in their debut schedule. Within season four, there are two volumes. Volume I was set to release on May 27th, 2022, while Volume II was set to release on June 1st, 2022. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic delayed production, creating a sense of restlessness among fans and viewers. However, due to the artistic prowess and creative integrity that the first three seasons provided, I believe it is very unlikely for the fourth season to be merely a money grab. If the Duffer Brothers prioritized profit over artistic integrity, Stranger Things 2 would not hold up in 2022. Overall, I believe season 4 will be something straight from the upside down. I expect plot-twists, shock, and of course my traditional binge watch session. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections The Strange Results of The Reverse Flynn Effect Max Ching Volume 5 Issue 1 September 20, 2024 Image Provided by Max Ching As society and technology have evolved with multiple inventions of life-changing machines like the radio, telephone, airplane, and many more, a theory stating that humans become smarter every decade has developed. This theory is called The Flynn Effect. According to The Debrief, James Flynn, who discovered a 13-point increase in an IQ test between 1932 and 1978, developed this theory in 1984; this theory has been fully accurate for the time being. However, researchers have claimed that in recent years, the average IQ has dropped. This is called, “The Reverse Flynn Effect.” As previously stated, The Reverse Flynn Effect is the exact opposite of The Flynn Effect , where IQ test scores drop instead of increase over decades. According to The Debrief , this effect has presented itself in Norway, Denmark, Australia, Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, and the United States. So, why is this happening, and is there any way to prevent this from happening any further? There are many reasons why this trend is occurring. According to The Debrief , some researchers have suggested that education quality, poor nutrition, and a lack of confidence in test-taking among children contribute to the effect. Also, children may no longer respond well to IQ tests. This does not mean that humans have become mentally less intelligent in the past decades, but instead, maybe their ability to take exams has worsened. Even researchers have supported this claim. Doctor Elizabeth Dworak, a research Assistant Professor of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, states, “It doesn’t mean their mental ability is lower or higher; it’s just a difference in scores that are favoring older or newer samples.” She has also said, “It could just be that they’re getting worse at taking tests or specifically worse at taking these kinds of tests.” So, this also proves that children are not actually becoming less intelligent, it is just that they may have a problem with taking exams. So, now that we have discovered why this event is occurring, we will now cover how to prevent this event from evolving even further. Well, according to The Debrief , environmental changes have been attributed to this effect; increased air pollution and lead exposure have been associated with drops in IQ levels. To prevent this effect from progressing, we could decrease air pollution by taking better care of plants, using less energy, limiting backyard and city fires, and using fewer fossil fuels. Also, not all mental skills are decreasing for children. Researchers have found that IQ scores related to spatial reasoning, or the ability to visualize 3D objects and draw conclusions based on limited information, have increased over time ( The Debrief). So, in conclusion, we have learned that the Reverse Flynn Effect is the exact opposite of the Flynn Effect, where it is evident that IQ scores have decreased over the past few decades. However, we have also learned that this could be because children just are not comfortable with taking tests. Also, we have learned that IQ scores relating to spatial reasoning, and the ability to draw conclusions and visualize objects has increased. So, although some might think that society is soon to be doomed due to the apparent dwindling IQ scores, this is not the case, as this effect can be reversed. SOURCES: https://thedebrief.org/new-study-reveals-sharp-decline-in-american-iq-scores-as-the-reverse-flynn-effect-takes-center-stage/ https://www.verywellmind.com/the-flynn-effect-7565614 BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections Government, Media, and the Pandemic: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly By Lucy Wu Volume 1 Issue 5 February 12, 2021 Image provided by InternetFreedom.org While the pandemic has taken more than 450,000 American lives, infected over 100 million people globally, and disrupted normalcy across the world, the resulting “infodemic” has infected countless swaths of people everywhere. Ranging from the idea that 5G networks cause COVID to drinking Clorox as a cure (please do not do that), misinformation was already an issue, but was only exacerbated by media during the pandemic. Since we live in a digital age where information is so immediately obtained from online sources, an entire population’s response to the pandemic can largely be shaped by which media they consume on a daily basis. Because some governments have laws and acts to regulate their media, some countries handled the dissemination of information differently during the pandemic: some for the better, and some for the far worse. The real question is, how did they handle it, and what were the outcomes? To answer this question, I primarily investigated the pandemic media response by two of our favorite global rivals: The United States of America and the People’s Republic of China. We will also include countries like Vietnam and New Zealand in our discussion. The Good: What Went Right (to some extent) Let’s start with some good news to lift spirits in troubling times. (Some) Countries Overcome COVID While the spread of COVID officially began in China, it quickly moved to countries such as Vietnam, Japan, the US, and many others by January of 2020. But wait: one of these is not like the others. You will notice many Asian countries were hit first with COVID outbreaks but managed to overcome the first wave and keep infection rates low, especially when compared to the U.S. How did they do it? It’s important to note that Asian countries already had experience dealing with infectious disease, namely the SARS outbreak in 2003. Culturally, Asian countries also grew accustomed to wearing masks, pandemic or not, and value “collective well-being over individual liberty,” a foil to values of the U.S. especially. According to the Lowry Research Group, Asian countries also were “prioritizing health above economic concerns, producing excellent public communications, […] and mandating behavior change.” Delving deeper into “excellent public communications,” we can see that “communication from public health officials and political leadership tended to be clear and consistent, reducing confusion and bolstering trust,” according to Shenglan Tang of the Duke Global Health Institute. We can also attribute this unity in action to the regulation of mass media: both China and Vietnam have their media regulated by the government; they rank within the five countries with the lowest Freedom of Press Index Score. All these traits combined contributed greatly to Asian countries having a strong advantage in dealing with a pandemic. Science Prevails Even with our mishaps, we still managed to procure multiple viable vaccines that are saving lives as we speak. For some countries who swiftly contained the virus (I’m looking at you, New Zealand), this was still a positive step even though they had things under control. And for the other countries that weren’t as fortunate: even when news outlets lied, people didn’t listen, and leadership failed us, the researchers were there to save the day. That in of itself deserves a round of applause and a sigh of (momentary) relief. The Bad: What We (maybe) Could Have Changed Let’s face it. We probably could have handled this whole event a lot better than we did. The Blame Game This one is fun. In case you weren’t aware, the U.S (but mainly former President Trump) blamed China, and China blamed the US for the initial spread of the virus. Back and forth it went while the rest of the world watched in horror, but not shock. According to the World Health Organization, the virus was first identified in the Wuhan province of China. The specific origin is not yet known, but one would think that this fact would still eliminate much of the controversy surrounding the eternal question of “who started it, and who’s to blame?” Instead, conspiracy theories about the Chinese colluding to make COVID a bioweapon and wreak havoc on the Western world took form, and simultaneously, the Chinese used their vice grip on social media to say that in fact, the Chinese had won against the poor Westerners who were now crumbling under the virus. Interestingly, because former President Trump infamously referred to the virus as the “China Virus,” Chinese media began taunting back, calling it the “America Virus.” US Media Now, maybe you’re someone who opens the news every 5 minutes, fact-checks authors on every article you read, and wouldn’t be fooled by the COVID myths. But imagine you’re not that person. Because of sensationalized titles, misleading charts, and biased sources, U.S media is a free but unregulated mess. To an outsider it’s pure confusion and chaos. To us, it’s just the norm of U.S politics and media. In an age where deep fakes are getting more realistic by the second and where “fake news” can forcibly convince others, it can be difficult to sift through the misinformation if you don’t know what to look for. Instead, it’s easier than ever to be sucked into the vortex of believing everything you read and trusting misguided sources. As a result, it’s clear that some groups in the U.S were extremely afflicted by poor guidance and a lack of accurate evidence. Alarmingly, many began protesting wearing masks and generally disregarding science and health officials, sending the U.S into a spiral of seemingly never-ending COVID cases. Too much trust in dishonest sources combined with a lack of confidence in mass media became two of America’s greatest pitfalls during the pandemic. Social Media There’s more. Social media only makes things worse. Because you can choose whom to follow and what media you consume, users build an “echo chamber,” whether they realize it or not. Social media algorithms are designed to give you the content that will keep you on their platform, so by blocking out opinions and values that don’t align with yours, they can keep you blind to the real dangers - like maybe a pandemic. Increasingly, there is a lack of discussion and thought which has been replaced by blaming and arguing instead, deciding who is wrong without consideration for other viewpoints. What does this mean during a global health crisis? The lack of a clear directive and coordination between government and health bodies created a further chasm in the US response to the pandemic, since people lacked confidence and trust in mass media to provide them with accurate information. Instead, people established their own groups on Facebook, Reddit, and other platforms, to confirm their own viewpoints on how to address the pandemic (a.k.a. confirmation bias) and give “advice” to others. Because the U.S places an emphasis on personal liberties, and in this case at the expense of the population’s health, the spread of misinformation across the Internet was rampant like a wildfire in brush – and in fact there was a time when Australian bushfires were our biggest problem. The Ugly: What Was Unfixable (and at the point of no return) Brace yourself. This is not pretty. 450,000 Deaths and Counting... We’ve almost become desensitized to that number now. We knew the situation was bad, but how did it get that much worse? Thankfully, at the time of writing, we seem to be on the mend. To start, former President Trump issued a series of tweets that not only contradicted safety information from global health officials, but also admonished and downplayed the virus. In the last few days of his term, Facebook and Twitter had (temporarily) banned Trump from accessing both of his media accounts in an attempt to prevent the spread of further misinformation and, incidentally, violence. Compared with the rest of the world, U.S politics has also become increasingly polarized, with sensationalized headlines covering divisions between liberals vs. conservatives, Democrats vs. Republicans, who’s right and who’s wrong, on and on it goes. In contrast to the Asian countries discussed above, because the U.S was disjunct and uncoordinated in its communication between government and people, a lack of clear instruction hindered the actual response to the pandemic. From there, people chose which set of directions they wanted to follow: either those given by the President, or those given by health officials. This is when the U.S shot itself in the foot: by preserving personal freedoms of speech to a point where people actively tried to harm others, misinformation ran wild, people were infected, and lives were reduced to numbers on a graph. When lives are endangered, politics should have no place in a global pandemic. Whistleblowers Circling back to the onset of the pandemic in Wuhan, China, Dr. Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist at the Wuhan Central Hospital, was largely credited for being the first person to alert others about a SARS-like virus circulating through patients. He warned friends, family members, and colleagues via the Chinese regulated platform WeChat, but fortunately yet unfortunately, his private chatroom messages were leaked to the Chinese Internet where it was only a matter of time before officials found it. As typical of the Chinese Government, they censored and silenced him, forcing him to sign a letter of admonition from the Wuhan Public Security Bureau for spreading “untrue statements about seven confirmed SARS cases.” Li later passed away on February 7th, 2020, after contracting the virus from a patient. Needless to say, many lives, tears, and moments could have been saved had the Chinese health officials taken the claims of any of the 8 whistleblowers seriously, instead of tightening their control over freedom of speech. Chinese media regulation is a double-edged sword: on one hand they efficiently and clearly disseminated important directives to their people while censoring the lies and misinformation, which contained the spread of COVID and saved lives. On the other hand, protests arose for the millionth time to address the lack of personal freedom of speech, which would have prevented health officials from opening Pandora’s Box in the first place. The Aftermath: Thoughts and Reflections That was a lot to unpack. While we’ve created a vaccine to address the raging virus, government regulation of media still needs a solution: how much do we regulate media to protect the masses, while still preserving a reasonable level of freedom of speech? While we wait for a response, we should aim to practice media literacy at school, the workplace, and at home. In fact, just as we wear masks and wash our hands, we should train ourselves to spot misinformation, because staying aware is the best way to fight the urge to blindly trust whatever we hear and read. Clearly, this is an urgent issue that requires immediate government attent- what’s that? Oh right: we have mental health to take care of and people to vaccinate, all on top of managing an ongoing pandemic. Right. Guess we’ll have to put this on our list for later. See you all on the other side when this is over, and if it doesn’t end, you can find me in New Zealand. Sources Bagherpour, Amir, and Ali Nouri. "COVID Misinformation Is Killing People." Scientific American , Springer Nature America, 11 Oct. 2020, www.scientificamerican.com/article/covid-misinformation-is-killing-people1/. China Covid-19: How State Media and Censorship Took on Coronavirus." BBC , 29 Dec. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-55355401. Funke, Daniel, and Daniela Flamini. "A Guide to Anti-Misinformation Actions around the World." Poynter , Poynter Institute, www.poynter.org/ifcn/anti-misinformation-actions/. Jennings, Ralph. "Asian Countries Handle New COVID-19 Cases without Lockdowns." VOA , 7 Dec. 2020, www.voanews.com/covid-19-pandemic/asian-countries-handle-new-covid-19-cases-without-lockdowns. Kantis, Caroline, et al. "UPDATED: Timeline of the Coronavirus." Think Global Health , Council on Foreign Relations, 15 Jan. 2021, www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/updated-timeline-coronavirus. McGuirk, Rod. "Australia Accuses China and Russia of Virus Disinformation." AP News , Associated Press, 17 June 2020, apnews.com/article/e869b34c1e04fde924efd0f0602b3d11. National Geographic . 18 Sept. 2020, www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/09/coronavirus-origins-misinformation-yan-report-fact-check-cvd/. Penn, Michael. "How Some Asian Countries Beat Back COVID-19." Duke Global Health Institute , 12 Aug. 2020, globalhealth.duke.edu/news/how-some-asian-countries-beat-back-covid-19. Sherman, Justin. "Government Information Crackdowns in the Covid-19 Pandemic." DigitalCommons , 25 Aug. 2020, digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1059&context=research. Siemaszko, Corky. "Why Are Americans so Confused about Covid-19? Blame Trump, Cornell Study Says." NBC News , NBC Universal, 1 Oct. 2020, www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1241707. "2020 World Press Freedom Index." Reporters without Borders , rsf.org/en/ranking. World Health Organization. "Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Advice for the Public: Mythbusters." World Health Organization , 23 Nov. 2020, www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? Annie Rachek Volume 6 Issue 3 Image Provided by Hozier We have all been asked the question, “What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?’’ at least once in our lives. This question of course has become more relevant as we grow up and transition to junior and senior High. Many of us have known the answer from the beginning and many of our answers have changed as the older we grow. If you have ever pondered the question of what occupation you want to have and how many kids feel the same, you are reading the right article. Dream jobs shift based on the country, time, ages, and gender but for now we are looking at dream jobs of kids (average between boys and girls). According to a study done by Vocovision in 2024, about 60.2% of youth want to be a doctor, athlete, or teacher with doctor being the most popular by a small margin of around 6%. But these specific jobs only make up about 5% of the global workforce according to the statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But this doesn’t mean all of these jobs are unrealistic, just that interests may shift over time. What Do You Want to Be? Around 91% of kids aged 13 to 17 years old say that they know what they want to be when they grow up in accordance with the findings of Payscale. But even if you think you know what you want to be or are not sure, yet, it is always great to investigate options in case you lose passion, interest, or the job does not work out. You should decide what you value in a job, for example, perks, flexibility, and payment not just what sounds fun. So, here are a few underrated or emerging job suggestions. Many of us have dreamed of owning a small shop or business and with easier ways to start like Shopify or Amazon. And places to market like TikTok or YouTube, many people have become entrepreneurs whether it be a clothing brand or a Knick knack store. A small business owner is great for flexibility with you being able to create your own schedule and hours. Starting a small business can feed artistic or creative minds or could interest someone with passion for math or business. Small businesses can be a large investment, and it is recommended to start small due to the unpredictably of sales and salary, especially when starting out. Running a small business may look impossible but can easily be run on the side or part-time if you play your cards right. Air traffic controllers are the people at the airport who guide the traffic of planes coming in and out. These are people on TV yelling “THERE’S TOO MANY PLANES DON’T TAKE OFF!” behind the computers. While this job can have demanding hours, it makes up for it with the good salary with median is around 150k a year with some experience, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They also have great benefits. One of the requirements for this job is a bachelor’s degree (4 years) but comes with insurance coverage and many other benefits. This job can be considered one of the most stressful jobs on the market and can come with intense training. If you get overwhelmed, I will not advise this job and would suggest something like a baggage handler if you’re interested in working at an airport. While not a flexible job, if you are looking for a job to support your family, have a passion for planes or the airport, and do not mind stress, this would be a great pick for you. Being a library clerk may not sound like a glamorous job, but it can be a good job to work on the side. Being a library clerk requires no degree and is not very demanding with you simply having to help around the library; for example, shelving books and helping someone at the library. This job does require good organization, so this might interest neat people or people with a love for reading or writing. The job does not pay great with around 40k salary in New York but, this is still a decent calm side job that can grow into a bigger career like a full-time librarian which can earn around 50-60k starting. A library clerk is a nice calm option for a side job or a job that can blossom into a full career. Even if you are firm in what your job will be, I would recommend just considering these options. If you are lost or not sure what you want to do for a living, I hope this helps you decide. Do not be pressured by dollar signs or requirements and make sure to aspire to jobs that yes make money but will also have you motivated to wake up in the morning. Even if a job seems unrealistic, give it a shot and have a backup plan if it does not work out. Sources Vocovision Bureau of Labor Statistics Payscale Indeed Ziprecruiter BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Flower Lady; A Sky Children of the Light Shore By Catherine Duong Volume 2 Issue 1 October 8, 2021 Image provided by Sky: Children of the Light (video game made by the TGC Company) Keywords: 1 Home space: The central place in the sky realm; a gathering place for all-sky children 2 Candle running: a process to collect wax from different realms to obtain candles in exchange. 3 Field of stars: A place where the deceased sky children live. Author’s note: This short story is fan fiction based on a game called Sky: Children of the Light (Sky: CotL), made by the TGC company. The Flower Lady is the Blossom Spirit from the Days of Bloom event, and the field of stars is the last location after Eye of Eden before returning to home space. Dear Diary, It has been months since I’ve now been living in the cosmos and stars. Spring has arrived with flowers blossoming, and cool wind flows through my hair. I decided to pay a little visit underneath the blossom tree at home space (1), where I appeared on top of the tree, giving me a blossom cape wrapped around my shoulders and down to my waist. I was unsure of why I had it on, but it looked pretty on me. I also saw a tiny tea set, which was settled underneath the tree’s shade. No one was near, so I glided down onto the moist ground and approached the tea set. It had small smooth gray rocks for seating for two. I noticed two cups of tea, still hot and steam rising and disappearing in the wind. I sat down with my lower legs letting my upper half sit on top, making me sit on my knees. I took a quiet sip, tasting the hot liquid pouring into my mouth. Once I placed it down, a young lady appeared in front of my eyes. She had braided hair with two pink flowers that matched the color of the petals. She also had a pink petal cape like mine, which I can assume she is also a spirit like me! She didn’t say anything at first, taking a quiet sip from her cup, and then she looked at me with my red mask hiding my face. Our eyes locked for quite a while as if time suddenly stopped. I asked the lady, “I apologize that I took your cup there. Are you waiting for a friend or a family member here?” Once I responded, she didn’t say a word, but she shook her head, signaling to me that she didn’t wait for anyone at all and sat by herself. I then asked, “I see... Must have been lonely all by yourself here, huh.” It was very uncommon to see a spirit who isn’t a fan of talking. Perhaps she can’t speak. We sat together many more moments, and I was asking some questions. One of the answers she told me was fascinating. Once I responded, she nodded her head quietly. “Do you have any family members or siblings of your own?” Once I responded, she gave a quiet nod as she placed down her cup of tea and raised her right hand towards the blossom tree that she and I sat below. The petals then started to fall off the blossom tree and began to dance around her, gesturing with both of her hands wide as of saying, “These are my family.” She then pointed her left hand towards me, trying to tell me what I thought of. I thought about it for a while. I did have a family of my own. My adopted mom, Ella, and my adopted child, Flare. Speaking about family makes me emotional. That is one thing I wished to see again with an actual body to hug them tight. Tears started to flow out of my bright yellow eyes, my head low and tilting down to the chest. The lady noticed my behavior and reached over my head to tussle my hair a little. Some petals around her started to follow towards me, going underneath my eyes to dry them, and returned to the lady. I then said with a cracked voice from crying: “I do have a family as well... I miss them dearly. I wanted to give them a nice big hug without going through them. And a small hair tussle, Flare. I wonder if she fits the lion hat that I gave her months before I was gone. She is the most adorable little thing I ever saw. Her huge yellow eyes staring up at me with little tears coming out of her eyes alongside the lion hat, covering her head and falling on her eyes, was one of the few moments left before I passed. I visit her occasionally. She sometimes asks me to tussle her, which I always disappoint her and myself that I cannot do so, but the urge within her eyes tells me to. So, when I did it, all I touched was nothing but air. She didn’t feel it, but she appreciated that I tried and attempted to hug me around the waist.” I then sighed, taking another sip of tea, and I looked inside the cup, which was empty. When I finished talking and paused to take a drink, she had her eyes on me the whole time, listening and comforting me with her body language. This then made my day much brighter. I didn’t have anyone to talk to about this. She would have if Flare were old enough to tell her the full details, and for Ella, she was always busy and took her time to candle run (2). When I came to visit, I saw her, passed out on the grass, and all I could do was lay next to her. Once I woke up, I returned to the field of stars (3) again. I completely forgot that I could not stay in the sky realm forever. As I processed these thoughts, I continued, “All I wanted... was to just to meet them again. Not just to talk and hug them, but to stay with them forever, but I cannot.” As I finished, she walked over to my side, hugging me as I wrapped my arms around her. As I hugged her, the stars on my body and parts of the cosmos started to fade away. This is what happens when you reach your limit. Your stars and parts of the cosmos that are around you, as if a transparent body for my soul to be placed in like a pocket, start to slowly pull away, and then you return to the starry field. I let go of the lady as I said, “I have to go now. I cannot stay for long.” Once I responded to the lady, she gave a slight nod, giving a little wave to me. The wave that she gave me reminded me of when Flare waved at a similar gesture with tears in her eyes. I closed my eyes for a second, and then I looked back at her; now, half of my body disappeared as I waved back. Once I did, I disappeared right in front of the lady, leaving her behind, and I returned to the field of stars. As I thought to myself right now, I wanted to revisit the flower lady. She seems friendly, gentle, and lonely, but with her petal family that she showed me, it seems that I will keep her company while I’m gone and recharge my energy again for me to wish back into the sky realm again with the same form. I’m also planning to visit Ella or Flare or both today! Let’s hope Ella doesn’t pass out again or Flare is asleep somewhere in one of the realms. I hope the two of them will be protected with spirits like the flower lady. I’ll be heading out now as my energy has now been replenished. I’ll write to you again soon! Sincerely, Amber Scarlet BACK TO TOP