Writers Around the World - Anthology (Volume One)

In Dreams

  Mark Mackey

  Those ever so pleasant dreams

  He had diving into sleep

  Of grassy fields 

  Under blue sky 

  and bright crisp sunshine

  His heart filled with an overabundance of love

  As she glided with grace toward him

  It was as if she was floating on air 

  A statue of beauty

  Whose love matched his.

  Dream Love

  Renee Jean

  My heart beats, my breath shudders

  At this expressive moment passes

  My body tingles, my eyelids flutter

  I know this dream will never last

  As down I lay, and dreams may come

  To fill my sleeping mind

  Alone I drift, through the unconscious sea

  Until home again, I find

  My moment is now, as it always is

  To prove my life so true

  For tomorrow may never come

  And this my last moment with you

  Then let us lay arm in arm

  And hold each other tight

  Letting passion over take us

  We shall make love all through the night

  I feel your tender touch

  Your lips upon mine

  We shall live forever in this moment

  We will exist only in this time

  Whispered words, a gentle caress

  And impassioned thoughts abound

  Raising us up in this mystical world

  We are soaring high above the ground

  But suddenly our moment is over

  I feel myself slip away

  Morning has come and again I awake

  To the light of a new dawning day

  But my body does remember

  It’s a feeling I cannot deny

  Remember me for now my love

  Soon again we will try

  I will return to bed and dream of you

  Again in the fading light

  May this new dream last forever

  And we stay together always in the night

  London Love

  Gwen Selix

  My family is getting ready to leave for vacation. My father owns his own company and has decided that it is time for us to get out as a family again. He reached his millions back when all those .com’s started as he is one of the few who made it. He always goes on about how he wants me to have a better life than he did. I usually just nod my head. I knew I would never have the life he does, at least, not the life with someone like mom. They are so in love with the way she looks at him. I will never have that.

  “Val, honey, they called out flight,” I hear Dad calling my name. I apparently got lost in the book I was reading again. I was lost in my old copy of Pride and Prejudice. I love Mr. Darcy and he is perfect. I live vicariously through the character. I am way to plain, my waist length black hair and emerald eyes don’t really stand out against the crowd. I close my book and grab my carry on bad.

  We are headed to London for the next three weeks, which I am actually excited about. This might be one of the few trips we have been on that I may actually have fun on. We stand in line waiting for the person at the counter to scan our ticket. Once on the plane, I start to look for my seat. I don’t get to sit next to my parents this flight because all the seats were taken. I find mine and it is a window seat, so at least I can see London as we fly in. My bag goes up into the overhead and I make sure to grab my headphones before I toss it up there. The seat is kind of squishy, which is good because my butt won’t fall asleep on this long flight. I lean back into the seat and put in my head phones. I just close my eyes and take in the music. I have been listening to musicals a lot lately so I have Wicked playing in my ears. It is one of my favorites. I feel the seat next to mine bounce as someone has sat down next to me, but I am too comfy to care right now.

  The trip was long. I think I slept most of it. I never opened my eyes and I kinda wonder who sat next to me. Oh well, I will never know now.

  “Val, darling, I am surprised you are still standing. You had a really cute guy next to you that whole flight.” My mother pulls me into one of her hugs. She always does this when she feels like I have missed out on something. She is a strange woman, but she is my mom, so I love her. She always thinks guys are cute for me and most of the time she is right. I mentally kick myself for not looking over when I felt someone sit down.

  We make it to our hotel and it is magical. My room is huge and I flop onto the bed, thankful my parents are letting me have freedom on this trip. I am only required to have my cell phone with me so they can get a hold of me when they need to. I stretch out on the bed just letting myself enjoy the softness of the bed. I could sleep, but I did so the whole flight here may as well start my London tours now.

  The city smells like fresh falling rain as I pull my jacket close around me. It is cool outside since the sun has set and I love it. The London eye is all lit up if magic really existed this would be where it was centered from. It was one of the big things I had to see while I was in London. My legs moved quickly. It got bigger the closer I got. It was bigger than I could have possibly imagined and there was no line since it was late in the evening.

  “Good evening! I would like one ticket please.” I asked the ticket holder.

  “There are not many people and there is only one other person ahead. Do you mind sharing their cart?”

  “No, sir, I would not.” I was excited to share it with another Londoner or a tourist. It was going to be exciting either way.

  I grabbed my ticket and hurried towards the cart that would be taking me up and giving me a view of London. The place is so roomy since there is only one other person in here with me. He is looking out the window he has ginger curly hair and a back pack on the seat next to him. I take the empty seat next to the window facing the water and I take in a long breath, waiting for the eye to start moving. It lurches forward as it starts up. The breath escapes my lips and I look out over the city. It is lit up like a Christmas tree, but just a thousand times better.

  “Hey,” his voice brought me back to reality. Oh yeah, there was someone else with me, so I better no wander too much. Wow, was all I could think when I saw his face I notice he has the most amazing smile I have ever seen. His brown eyes were soft and warm and the curly red hair fit well with the freckles that danced across his face.

  “Aren’t you the girl who sat next to me on the plane?”

  Oh my god. Was this the guy my mother had said sat next me? She had been right on the fact that he was cute.

  “The one over here?” Wow I sound stupid when I talk and I never noticed.

  “Yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s you. You looked so cute while you slept I wanted to wake you up to talk to you, but I was a gentleman and now I am really glad I was. I was hoping I would run into you again.”

  I could feel the red rising in my cheeks he thought I was cute. Clearly I was dreaming and that is all there was to it.

  “Thanks for not waking me up. I can be cranky when I don’t get my sleep.”

  God, I sound so stupid!

  He smiled at me again and oh God, that smile. What was I supposed to do with that.

  I felt the cart shake and it stopped moving. Jumping up, I look out the window the entire city has gone dark.

  “Uh, what just happened?”

  I feel him next to me as he is looking out the window with me my heart starts to race at his closeness. I have the urge to wrap my arms around him and ask him to hold me for protection, but I am not that kind of girl, so instead I burry my hands in my pocket.

  “Looks like some sort of surge.” He opens on of the little windows on the cart it is silent outside nothing is moving. It’s almost like we are the only two left in the world.

  “My name is Logan by the way.”

  “Mine is Valerie, wellm=, Val for short.”

  “Val is a very pretty name.” r />
  What do I say to that? I just grin like an idiot. Yeah, that will make this situation better. I feel the seat next to me move he got up. Great, I screwed that up!

  “I know I have it in here somewhere. Aha!”

  The light is blinding as he dug a flash light out of his bag. Boy, was he prepared. He sits back down next to me and smile.

  “I hope you don’t think I am forward, but it is chilly and you are only wearing a sweater.”

  He wraps his arm around my shoulder. I breathe in his smell of Axe body spray. I hate that I know the smell because being the idiot I am after I broke up with my last boyfriend I would go and smell the fragrance’s in the store all the time. His smell is intoxicating. He rests his head against mine I can feel the butterflies forming in my stomach again.

  His fingers rub my shoulder a bit and I feel the shiver race through my body. Looking up at him, I see just how beautiful his eyes are as the light of the flashlight dances in them. It is taking every part of me to not kiss him right now even though I want to. He presses his lips to my forehead and the touch tingles throughout me. I want to kiss this boy I just met so badly and it feels so right being with.

  His lips trail down towards my cheek and kiss me. Then, he moves on to my nose and kisses the end of it. I can feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. London really is a magical city. He pulls his head back and looks at me. A hand brushes my cheek as I close my eyes and just let it happen. His lips meet mine and the world melted away from us as London was but a distant memory. I lace my fingers through his curls that are so soft. I pull him closer to me. The need to kiss him is stronger than anything I have ever felt before. His arms go around my waist and he pulls me up on to his lap and I kiss him deeper. I dare not break this trance between us. My arms go around his neck his find my face and pull me closer to him if that is at all possible. I want to never stop kissing this boy that I just met. I have never done something so spontaneous. His tongue licks my lips and I opened my mouth to let him in his taste was sweet, which just killed me even more.

  I pulled away slightly. I hated it, but I needed some air. I smiled at him still curled up in his lap.

  “Val I, have been wanting to do that for ages.”

  “You only just met me, silly.”

  Now if I wasn’t mistaken he was blushing.

  “It took London for you to notice me. You always have your nose buried in a book that you don’t see the world around you, Val. You don’t see the boy that is head over heels in love with you.”

  Wait in love he just said in love who is this guy? Something tells me I should get off his lap and sit on the other side of this cart, but I can’t.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I play on the soccer team at school, silly.”

  “Logan? Not the star of the soccer team Logan!”

  “One in the same.” That boyish smile again it just killed me

  “But you have a girlfriend!”

  “I haven’t had one in over a year. You can’t believe everything you hear in school.”

  I can’t help myself. I grab his face and kiss him again. This time, I pull him as close to my body as possible. He eagerly kisses me back. I feel like everything is gone and the world has become perfect.

  I was right. The London Eye really is the center of magic, at least for me and Logan.

  New Hope

  Megan Humphrey

  Heather, a slim brunette, ran out of school eagerly. Her boyfriend Rob had planned an afternoon date to celebrate their 3 year anniversary. As Heather got closer to his car, she could see movement inside. She frowned. Rob wasn’t usually in his car by the time she was there. She looked in the window and gasped in shock.

  “Rob! What are you doing?!” She asked furiously. Her boyfriend was entangled with Serena Harrison, known around school for luring boyfriends away from their girls. Heather had always thought Rob was immune to Serena’s so-called charms, but judging by the evidence, she had thought wrong. The reality of the situation hit her and she broke down crying in front of Rob’s car.

  Rob panicked and stumbled out of the car, pulling his shirt back on as he went. He put his hand on Heather’s shoulder and tried to explain, but Heather shoved him off.

  “No. Don’t touch me. Don’t speak to me. What you did is unforgiveable. I don’t want to see you ever again!” She ran off sobbing, ending up on the curb at the edge of the parking lot.

  Heather sobbed for several minutes when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see a gorgeous boy with chestnut hair and concerned blue eyes.

  “Who are you?” Heather shudderingly asked.

  “I’m Jeremy. I’m new here. I moved from England. But let’s worry about you. Are you alright? You looked like you needed help,” he replied concernedly, in a charming British accent.

  Heather just shook her head, still crying, unable to summon the words to voice what Rob did.

  Jeremy lowered himself down beside Heather and rubbed her back. “It’s okay,” he murmured. “Whenever you’re ready. I’ve got time.”

  After several minutes of quiet weeping, Heather finally managed to say it. “My boyfriend, he was making out with the school slut!” Her sobbing returned in full force.

  Jeremy used no words, just grabbed Heather and pulled her in for a massive hug. Heather bawled freely into his shoulder for a moment, then composed herself and pulled away.

  “Thanks. It was just so sudden. Caught me off guard. But I’m fine now. You can leave,” she said unconvincingly.

  “No, I can’t. I’m not leaving until you’re okay,” Jeremy informed her kindly. “You won’t get rid of me that easily.”

  Heather smiled slightly, face still damp. “Really, I’m fine.”

  Jeremy offered her a handkerchief before continuing, “Well, at least let me walk you home. It seems like you usually ride home with your boyfriend.”

  Heather wiped her face and eyes and blew her nose with the handkerchief before giving it back to Jeremy, smiling gratefully at his thoughtfulness. “Okay. If you insist.”

  “And I do,” he replied, taking the handkerchief back and stuffing it into his backpack. He stood up and offered his hand to Heather. She grabbed it and pulled herself up off the ground.

  “By the way, I don’t think you told me your name,” Jeremy remarked.

  “Oh, right. It’s Heather,” Heather supplied softly.

  “Heather,” Jeremy repeated. “I like that name.” He smiled gently.

  “Thanks.” They walked in silence for a few minutes, Heather composing herself.

  Once Heather felt better, she started making small talk to Jeremy. “So where in England are you from, Jeremy?”

  “I’m actually from London,” Jeremy told her, glad she was beginning to get the incident with her boyfriend out of her mind.

  “Why would you move from London?” Heather asked, astonished. “I mean, the accents are so sexy!”

  “So you think my accent’s sexy?” Jeremy grinned, his eyes twinkling with laughter.

  “Oh, I, um…” Heather blushed a deep scarlet. She did, in fact, think Jeremy’s accent was quite sexy, but she had just been traumatized by her now ex-boyfriend. She didn’t dare admit even just talking with a boy so soon, for fear the rumor mill would call her the new Serena.

  The rest of the walk passed without incident, although several minutes was occupied with Heather calming her scarlet cheeks. All too quickly, they reached Heather’s house. She turned to Jeremy and thanked him.

  “It was my pleasure,” Jeremy replied graciously.

  “Either way. I needed that.” Heather turned to walk into her house, but instead spun back to face Jeremy and kissed him full on the lips, surprising even herself with her boldness and disregard for the rumor mill. As soon as she realized what she had done, she turned and franticly ran inside. As she leaned against the inside of her wooden front door, she thought that maybe, just maybe, getting over Rob wouldn’t take as long as expect
ed.

  How Love Feels Like

  David Gomez-Fandino

  Well, loving someone is like when you feel that you should be with them because it feels right, you know? Like, it’s as if you have lost a piece of your heart and then you find it in someone else. You decide to stay with that part. You learn to live without it when things get tough, and you really admire the time you have with it. That part becomes attached to you too, because they feel that they should belong with you, too. And when you two finally are together, you feel . . . complete. Like you feel that it is impossible to live without that part. Sometimes, from there, two

  things may happen. Either it turns out that your part is not yours and truly someone else’s, and so you give up the part to that other person. And then you spend the rest of your time finding the part that is yours. And sometimes, the transition is too tough for people, and

  they might give up. But, the other way is that you and your piece of your heart are really true and connected, and you are bonded with that piece. Forever. Forever together. Every day.

  Dear Love

  Kayla Dempster

  Where are you?

  I’ve been searching

  And searching…

  But to no avail

  I know you are somewhere

  Maybe somewhere I can’t see

  Hiding in the shadows

  Just out my reach

  I sit and watch

  While everyone around me

  Finds you

  And you give them a warm embrace

  I feel like and outsider

  Not invited to the party

  Looking in from a window

  Only observing what you are

  It feels like your avoiding me

  Like I’m some sort of disease

  Denying me your warmth

  You’re just cold as ice

  They talk endlessly

  About what he got for her

  A necklace, a ticket to prom

  Or even just passionate words

  Is that so much to ask for?

  For someone to notice

  Just for someone to care

  If only just for a day

  But then their world shatters

  Throwing sharp words back and forth

  Crying endlessly all alone

  Forgiving but never forgetting

  They don’t really know you

  They are just blindly searching

  To fill an empty void

  Even if it’s with something fake

  They wander in darkness

  Like a lost defenseless child

  And you take advantage of them

  Manipulating their heart and mind

  That’s when I realize

  Is that what I want?

  For something so important

  To be broken by a few words

  No, I don’t want that

  And that’s why I’m waiting

  Because when I do find you

  I know it will be true

  But here’s the other thing

  I have already found you

  It’s not the way most people think

  But it is you nonetheless

  The rest of the world tells us

  You are found in a partner

  Whose only duty is to share intimacy

  Whispers under covers in the dark

  But that’s not really the case

  Because in a world where

  That’s the only place you exist

  We would be nothing but hatred itself

  I found you in my parents

  Who raised me from birth

  Making sure I was always ok

  Putting me before themselves

  I found you in my friends

  Who know me better than anyone

  We laugh and cry together

  When one of us falls, the rest follow

  I found you in the soldiers

  Who go marching off to war

  Who leave their lives behind

  To protect what we hold dear

  I found you in the person

  I passed briefly on the street

  When I dropped by bag of books

  Who helped pick up my things

  But you aren’t a person are you?

  No, your simply an idea

  Which means that I have found you

  In almost everyone I’ve met

  But I haven’t just simply found you

  Because what’s the point in that?

  No, what I have is so much more

  Because I have you in my heart

  Him

  Beth Valentine

  He looked at me like he loved me with a love so pure and amazing. But that was all months ago, I was sure he didn’t even feel that way anymore. I look at him across the hall and I expect his dazzling smile, but instead I get a frown and a gentle look away. How could his face be so innocent but yet so… uncaring? We never dated, or got the chance to know each other as more than friends, but I thought he felt the way I feel when he’s around. I catch him looking at me during break or lunch, or sometimes even in the classroom. That’s when he looks away as if I’m infected with some disease and he broke my heart. My heart aches completely whenever he does a simple denying gesture.

   

  I wish, with every single atom of my being, that I could bring up the courage to tell him how I feel but I know, I can’t. There is too much at risk for both of us, I’m already bullied and made fun of, I couldn’t put him through that too. I’ve made that mistake too many times with other boys who I’ve admired many years ago. But it’s taken them this long for everyone to forget about those boys. My last relationship crashed and burned from overseas, on a holiday. He couldn’t even face me.

  I went through a stage of ‘Am I worth nothing?’ and I just felt empty inside. Like there was nothing left for me to love. But eventually I found the one thing that made me love again. Him. He gave me hope that I wasn’t going to be alone and that something productive was going to happen in my life. I’ve already made so many bad decisions, so many lies told to me, still not knowing if these are the truth or just made up non-sense.

  Whenever I hear his voice, a shiver is sent down my spine and my heart pounds at a million miles an hour, there wasn’t anything that I wouldn’t do for him. There isn’t even 5 people that I can say I’d do that for. His personality is perfect, his face isn’t perfect to others but he’s perfect to me. There’s people who like him because he’s an amazing performer but I’m probably one of the only people who look past that into who he really is. Caring, kind and amazing. We do a club together and he’s amazing at helping children with disabilities with their work, he’s so friendly with them. It’s just some of those girls who like him for the purpose of he’s who he is.

   He sung to me, well he used to. A long time ago now. I told him I was upset and he’d sing to me and it’d brighten up my day. Even the darkest of holes seemed to be light with fire that his lyrics brought and his sweet melody. I will always think to our conversations where he was trying to cheer me up, in fact, just messaging him on a social networking site cheers me up. When he replies and that grey and green box turns blue and red.

   So that’s him. That’s the boy I love now, and these are the words I’m too afraid to say.

  March

  Luck