daily july 19th
tw: this is darker than the usual stuff I write


I was submerged in a great silence when my phone started to vibrate. The eerie buzz it made sent chills down my spine. But nothing was visibly wrong. I brushed off the unsettling feeling that was consuming me from head to toe. I peeked at the screen, only to see that there was no caller id. Interesting. It couldn't be that bad, I thought, and decided to answer the call, even though I was told not to. Oh, how I regret it now. Looking back at my little self, I often question how I had the courage to do it. Or maybe I was just naïve. My finger trembled as it made its way to the tiny green button that appeared on the screen. Hesitant, I touched it. My phone made a beeping noise and the call started.
“Hello” An automated voice said. “I know everything.”
“Uh.. excuse me?” I asked, clearly bewildered at this odd statement.
“You heard me right.” The voice seemed to come from a distance. It was abnormally high pitched. ‘'I know where you live, what you like, your passwords, name it all.“
I shivered. What was this wretched voice telling me? How could it have known? WHAT WAS HAPPENING?
”I’ve been watching you for a while now. I spy with my little eye–“ The voice paused as if it were thinking. It quickly boomed back into reality. ”YOU.“
”I– uh– wha?“ before I could finish my sentence a figure as tall as a streetlamp loomed before me and pounced. It had a mad grin crawling on its lips. The creature was dark.
I scrambled away.
”Hello“ It said, with a voice similar to Siri's.
”I– I…“
”You heard me right.“ It made a screeching noise, like an electronic device does just before malfunctioning.
I scrambled ahead, the creature followed. It tilted its head sideways and displayed its best twisted smile, while effortlessly treading behind me. ”I know where you live, what you like–“
”STOP-P“ My voice was restrained. I stuttered, even while pronouncing one tiny itsy bitsy word. One syllable. I couldn't do it. How?
”I've been watching you for a while now!“
I panted, sprinting ahead, too exhausted to reply. It was closing in on me, there was no way I was going to outrun it. The inevitable was getting closer every second. I was doomed.
”I spy with my little eye–“ The creature continued grinning like a madman.
”ME?"
It faltered.
So did I.

411 words
whoa this may be the darkest thing I've ever written lol.


prompt by Vi

(writing by @astro-liiqht/aurora)


Overall, I think this is a great essay! The topic is just *chef's kiss* As a person who struggles to understand the absurdity of some rules this really spoke to me.

What makes a good rule?

Cool title, but it sounds a little cliché. It definitely does the job of introducing the topic, but I would prefer going for something like “Understanding the abstractness of rules”, because it sounds more interesting, but yours is also fine.

A good rule is a rule that is reasonable, flexible and enforced well.

Great description of a rule!

If the rule is unreasonable, it is hard or even impossible to follow and the people will end up disobeying the rule. This results in both the enforcer(s) of the rule and the people meant to follow the rule enhappy.

I think you meant being unhappy? But you used that word again later in the essay so maybe use a synonym such as “dissatisfied” or “discontented ”to avoid repetition?

One example of this could be “Everyone is only allowed to drink water at designated areas and designated times to reduce spillage.” Water is something that everyone needs to survive. By enforcing this rule, you are taking away something essential to the people. This is a very unreasonable law as you might end up killing someone because of dehydration. This leads to the people being unhappy and disobeying the rule as they can only get a simple need at a certain time and at a certain place, and the enforcer will be unhappy as the people are not following the rule. A good alternative to this would be “Everyone must use a non-spill bottle/straw bottle to reduce spillage.” Not only does this solve the problem of spillage, people can now drink water anytime and anywhere, as long as they use a non-spill/straw bottle.

It's nice that you gave an example, it's a good method of elaboration.

If someone is unable to follow a rule because of reasons that they themself cannot control, it is an unfair rule.

“They themselves cannot control” would be a better fit.

They will be wrongly accused, there is nothing that they can do about it.

A simple linker here would do the job of making the sentence flow better, such as “but” or “yet”.

This may be because of a disability, restriction set by others or much more. In this case, enforcers need to be flexible. Let us go back to the rule previously mentioned. For example, on a particularly chilly day, the water in a bottle might freeze and expand, causing the bottle to break. When the ice melts, the water will leak out. The person is unable to control the weather. How do you expect them to avoid spillage? The enforcers need to make an exception in this scenario. If the rule is not flexible, the person will be unjustly punished and might cause unnecessary controversy.

*thumbs up*

A rule is an abstract thing and there are many aspects to it.

This is a sound way to start the conclusion. It's a simple yet effective sentence.

If the rule does not meet the above criteria, it is not a good rule.

defining a rule as “good” or “bad” undermines the idea conveyed in previous paragraphs that rules should be flexible. Instead, go with a phrase like “well grounded” or something along those lines. Additionally, saying “the above criteria” can make it seem less like an essay, giving it more of an infographic kind of vibe when it clearly isn't.

Done! Hope you like it <3


link to the original piece:https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/topic/614171/?page=1#post-6470955

Arrivederci

A faint lamp from above illuminated a cylindrical fragment of the room with a gloomy light. I could see dust particles floating in the air, oblivious to how much I was suffering.

“You again?” Chief said, curling her lip with distaste. “ I though you were on our side now. I–I can't believe you tricked us, again.” Her tone became commanding. “ We have strong intel suggesting you stole the Rosetta Stone. We have footage, you can't deny it.”

I was strapped to an incredibly uncomfortable piece of metal that was meant to imitate the function of a chair. Chief leaned forward and shone the light right into my eye. She banged her fist on the table. “Admit it!”
“You ACME people are all the same, ” I muttered under my breath. “Yes, I did steal it, temporarily. Then, after VILE left the museum empty-handed, I returned it, like a always do.“
”And? There has to be more to the story!“
I displayed my best smirk under my red fedora. I would have crossed my arms to if they weren't tied. ”That's all.“
”I don't believe you. You're just keeping the stone for yourself. You're probably playing double agent, feeding VILE our secrets. Julia can defend you all she wants. Maybe she's in on this too. “
”Leave Jules out of this. “
”I know where your friends live. I know where your hq is. I can even have my agents track down your little online friend.“
My eyes widened. ACME was blind, but they weren't ruthless, were they? ”No. What do you want?“ I demanded.
”The truth.“
”You see,“ I said, tapping my fingers to the metal armrest. Chief finally realized that I was no joke. I could effortlessly free myself from the bonds that held me back. I had a retractable mini blade attached to the tip of my coal-colored gloves. Chief had evidently sensed that I was ridiculing her. I wanted to do so. My lips crept into an intentionally taunting smile.
” Tell me the rules and I'll play the game. It's pretty simple, actually. So what am I supposed to do in order to ensure my friend's safety?“
” Ah, the selfless hero. I am in awe of your heroics. But we both know that's not the real deal.“
I raised an eyebrow. ”Then what is?”

That old ACME agent didn’t know how desperate I was to keep my friends safe. I never showed it. I couldn't afford to show it. I was a mastermind who worked in the shadows. I was Carmen Sandiego. And I wasn't afraid of some petty secret organization. Especially ACME.

With a swift flick of the wrist, a secret tiny blade emerged from the tip of my glove. I ran my blade through the bonds, grinning from the satisfaction of the snap of the the pathetic bonds that held me back.
“You–you can't!” Chief stuttered, as the realization dawned upon her that she had already lost me entirely. That would be um… difficult to explain to the other agents.
"Oh, I can. I very well can. And you very well cannot take out your anger to VILE on me.“

It was a matter of seconds before I was free. Chief just stood there, dumbfounded. Her pupils rapidly darted from left to right. She couldn't make herself believe that she had lost me, yet again.

Once I was free I playfully waved her goodbye. Turning my back to her and obscuring my face with my ruby-colored fedora, I gracefully tread ahead, my elegant footsteps echoing off the immaculate white tiles that were unfortunate enough to be under my feet.
”Arrivederci."

SIZES

This is a topic I’ve always been aware of but it has especially been brought to my attention yesterday. While shopping for clothes, I realized that almost all of the sizes present were extra small, with a few smalls scattered about. As a person who is of average size, I couldn’t find anything that fit me. And this was a well-known brand which is said to be inclusive. I LITERALLY COULDN’T FIND A BASIC CASUAL TEE THAT FIT ME AND I’M NOT EVEN BIG.
How can there not be enough clothes for a size medium in a relatively large store?! I have no idea. There should be some of all sizes, ranging from small to large. I can’t even imagine how hard it is to find clothes if you’re big. Like, I don’t even get it. They can’t expect all of their customers to be below a certain height or weight.
This isn’t even vanity sizing! Vanity sizing is when a brand labels their clothes as smaller than they are to make the wearer feel slimmer. A lot of famous brands do this to ensure customer happiness, so that they buy more products. When you think about it, it’s mostly harmless and is nothing compared to the monstrosity I came across yesterday. Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely not saying that there shouldn’t be extra small sizes, I’m saying that there should be a broad variety of sizes, so everyone is included.
I was utterly outraged when I didn’t find anything my size, and it pains be to think that some people go through this everyday. I am of average build, so I never thought that it would be hard to find garments that fit me. But somehow it is! Why is it like this?! Can’t there be some of every size in a clothing store? If brands think that they would waste fabric making extra sizes and if they think that they won’t even sell, they’re wrong. Or at least, I think so. Customers can be of all shapes and sizes, so wouldn’t they really be happy to buy something that actually fit them?
I’m trying to put myself in their shoes right now, and I’m trying to empathize. Is it that they think that everyone should be a certain size, so they’re trying to encourage us to fit in a certain mold? Well, some people are genetically short or tall, what about those people? They can’t change their size. Moreover, plus sized people and people who wear smaller sizes shouldn’t be ignored, but how far has this come? When it became clear that this continued until even middle sized people are left out, some have lost hope. LIKE, HOW CAN EVEN THE MOST AVERAGE OF SIZES BE DISREGARDED?
Our warped definition of beauty relating to size has caused this. Trends shouldn’t determine who gets to wear comfortable clothes that actually fit and who don’t. It’s extremely rude to pay no heed to a minority (or in this case majority) of people because of their sizes. This should stop. It’s not that hard to make a few extra sizes of a piece of clothing so everyone can feel valid. It’s really a tiny price to pay.
Thank you for listening to my rant.

I was in my room, studying, like I was told, when an indistinct chatter sounded from the room adjacent to mine. I pressed my ear against the wall, eager to listen to the conversation. I already studied enough, I told myself, time to take an entertaining break. The inaudible whispers were rapid, but luckily, our houses sound isolation wasn’t very good. I could barely make out the words, but it was a splendid feeling—being like a secret agent and all. I tiptoed across the hallway, though I couldn’t say it was a complete success. My steps were a bit too loud, but the people talking in the nearby room were too invested in what they were saying to notice me.

I lived in a shared apartment with my family, so the people in the room next to mine were our neighbors. They were nice, neighborly people. Once I got to the door of their room, I tried to get a quick peek from the keyhole, but the key was in the lock so I couldn’t see anything but black. Great. I quietly leaned against the wooden door, pressing my ear once again. This time I got a better idea of what they were saying.
‘we need to get to the spaceship right away. The planet is in danger.’
‘It certainly is. We must act fast.’
‘What difference does that have from what I said?’
‘Stop being so bossy.’
‘I’m not!!’
‘Yes you are. End of discussion.’
‘The discussion doesn’t end until I say so. It ends now.’
‘Have it your way.’
‘Ugh.’
‘Ditto.’
My jaw dropped. I had never seen (or heard) them argue before. But that was the least surprising revelation. The spaceship? The planet? What spaceship? What planet? The questions kept coming. I had to know more.
I stoop upright against the wall behind the back of the door, so I wouldn’t be seen when they opened it. My assumption was correct. One of them banged open the door. I held my breath and tried to become one with the wall. I was on the verge of flinching when the door hit me, but I kept myself together. The other one slammed the door shut on his way out. The air was so thick that I could feel it. The sour smell of rage wafted in the air. I gagged.

I decided to follow them, tiptoeing along the way. They kept hissing at each other and arguing, something that was way out of character for them. I presumed to follow. My tummy grumbled, so O hurriedly hid behind a chair. They scanned their surroundings suspiciously. When they came to the conclusion that there definitely wasn’t a crazy stalker behind them, they strode ahead. The stalker who definitely wasn’t there and definitely wasn’t me followed. They hadn’t the faintest idea. I snickered at the mere thought of it.

***

I tread behind them with the lightest of steps. They stalked out of the house and into their car. Just as one was about to start the engine, he realized that he had forgotten something, so he rushed back into the house. The other one went with him. Once they were gone, again, feeling like a ninja or secret agent of some kind, I hopped into the back seat of the car and ducked. Instead of sitting like a normal perosn, I lay across the floor in front of the back seats. They were bound not to notice me there, I was sure of it. I just had ro make my breaths inaudible.
They came back soon, each one grumpier than the other. They completely different people, I didn't understand. I inhaled and exhaled slowly, my tiny breaths short enough not to be heard. Ew. They had spilled coke and chips on the floor and I had to lie down on it. Just ew.
After about two tedious hours, the car came to a stop. I was suffering from motion sickness, as I watched the vibrating crumbs on the floor vibrate and sway from one side to another. Don't judge me. It was the only way to pass time.

They got out of their car and walked in an unspecified direction. A minute or two after they left, I also got out and preceeded to follow them. Their footsteps were elegant, graceful even. I tried to imitate their steps to they wouldn't hear mine. When they were in sync, they wouldn't notice. I was oddly good at adjusting to them. Interesting. The direction they went in was interesting, I couldn’t see where we were going. We soon entered a dark tunnel, one that let barely no light seep in. Of course, that didn't have a good impact on my eyesight. I blindly followed them, secretly hoping not to gain too much speed so I wouldn’t bump into them. I didn't know who they were anymore. Our cheerful neighbors had morphed into angry outlaws.

A blinding light shone at the other end of the tunnel, illuminating the dark tunnel. I rubbed my eyes silently, and I could make out the shadow of our neighbors also rubbing their eyes frantically. After a fleeting moment of confusion, they and I came back to our senses and tread ahead. Then we entered… a spacestation. I fought back the urge to gasp, which thankfully, I didn't.

A fresh scent of disinfectant and metal wafted in the air, similar to the one you would smell in a hospital. Dozens of people wearing fancy suits were dialing some fancy stuff on their fancy electronic keyboards. I was in awe. The tiles on the floor was immaculately polished, I could see my reflection in them. And these tiles meant… they meant that my footsteps would be more prominent and I would be more noticeable. Careful to be in sync with their footsteps, I gently made my way back to the tunnel to hide from them.

From my comfy hiding place I peered at the flashing room of white, in utter amazement. Everything was so intricately planned and everything functioned in such an organized way that I could imagine them as an ant colony or something. They mixed various viles of mostly green liquid, but many colors were present. Tiny chamical explosions took place in secluded areas. It was awesome! Florescent lights illuminated the white room, making it look even more scientific.

I was supposedly watching TV, relentlessly changing the channel to give my mind a break from the mindless chatter it emitted. As usual, there was nothing worth watching. Soon, I got bored. Suddenly my phone started vibrating, its ring tone echoing in my ears. The number was unknown to me, but I started the call anyway.
“Hello.”
“Hello there ma'am, would you be interested in buying our miracle cream, it rids you of any pain you have, it cures all problem, it's–”
“Sorry. I am not interested.”
I was about to hang up when the voice spoke back. I didn’t expect the automated sales call to talk back, I just thought it wouldn't.
“But you will be sorry you didn't by our marvelous cream” It said, cackling.
“What do you mean?”
The caller tone abruptly became sympathetic. “You see… you won the lottery, and you were going to get your grand prize if you agreed to buy our miracle cream. Too bad. So sad. On to the next winner I guess.”
This had caught my interest, though I was still immensely skeptical about it. It was likely that this was a scammer.
“Sorry but I'm still not interested” I said calmly, knowing very well that it was most likely a trap.
“But your niece got in a traffic accident and has been subjected to trial. Now he is in jail and you need to send us money to get him out of there. We will put her on the phone if you wish to see that this is in fact a very legitimate claim.”
“I don't have a niece.”
“Oh, this is just a huge misunderstanding. I meant to say that a Nigerian prince, who happens tobe your long time friend, is in desperate need of your help. His bank account is frozen and he only needs a couple of thousand dollars to get his money back. Once he does that he will pay you five hundred thousand dollars in return for your helping hand.”
“Sorry pal, I am not falling for that little scam you have going on hefe. I pressed the button that was supposed to end the call but it didn't work. I pressed it again. No result.
”You have to try harder than that to get rid of me!“ I could imagine the caller giving me a mocking smirk on the other side of the phone. ”Also, it has come to my and my colleagues' attention that there is gold where you live and we would like to offer you the cheap service of testing your soil for gold. Every sample is only five thousand dollars, a price you cannot get anywhere else! This incredible offer doesn't last forever though, you have until the end of this phone call to decide. “
”What exactly is the name of this company?“ I asked because I had no other choice. I couldn't end the call so I though that I might as well get some entertainment out of it.
”Hmm… it is a family business that has been running for over fifty years now. We have the most reliable business partners. You too will get to know them soon.“
”You didn't tell me the name. I also want more information.“ I stalled, impatiently pressing the ‘end call’ button over and over again, no luck.
”You might have heard of us before. We are really well known within your community and we have a splendid history with gold.“
Again, wanting some proper entertainment, I decided to ask another question. ”What is gold? Tell me all of the properties of the substance.“
”Gladly. Gold is a mixture of metal and some shiny stuff and it is shown on the periodic table with the letters Gld. It is a very poor conductor and is precious.“
I laughed, I didn'texpect this person to be this dumb. ”Almost everything you said is wrong. God is an element, not a mixture. Ha. It is shown with the letters Au and is a very good conductor. It looks like you didn't pay attention in middle school science. Ha ha. “
”Our specialist know way more about gold that both of us, I am a mere sales person. “
”Yeah, right. The stories just keep coming. Your stories are even wilder than my imagination. And that'ssaying something. Wait. My imagination.“
At that moment, the realization dawned upon me. What I had just experienced consisted of random things I had learned in the past week. I had heard lots of news about scammers, and types of scams and articles about past victims. I had also been studying non stop for my chemistry exam which happened to be my worst subject. I guess I was not that bad at it. I had fallen asleep, my head buried in a lengthy Chemistry textbook. I realized that I had been snoring. It was a dream all along. Such an awful way to end a fictional story, but it's a relief in real life. I guess my imagination really was something. At least I had gotten something out of it. I improved my terrible chemistry!
A wave of relief washed over me like a massive tidal wave. I was safe now. Suddenly, my phone rang in a ring tone that is was not set to ring in. I tried to ignore it, but it kept on ringing. After a solid ten minutes of noise, my curiosity got the better of me. I answered the call, and that same old voice buzzed at my ear with all of its existing might.
”Hello. This is a reminder to do your schoolwork. Bye.“
”Huh?" I never signed up for anything like this, at least, I didn’t remember signing up for something like this. I guess that would remain a mystery. For ever. To be honest, I was quite perplexed after receiving that bizarre phone call. Nevertheless, I did my schoolwork like it told me to. Now, whenever I look at homework or schoolwork or really anything that relates to school and is on a sheet of paper, this haunting event flashed before my eyes. I haven't the faintest idea why it happened, and I don't think I will ever get the chance to know or learn about it.

1. Being a story, anyway you like, but keep it close to 100 words.
Sarah looked around her. A ferocious gale was causing the elegant wheats planted in the fields she stood on to rapidly sway back and fourth. She enjoyed the silence of the scene. Its immense serenity inspired a peaceful state of mind in her. It was exactly what she needed after a long day. She ran her fingers through the plants, their abundant kennels colliding with her palm, as if they were reassuring her that everything was going to be alright. Suddenly, thunder clapped and a bolt of lightning struck the tree she was heading towards. The poor, electrocuted tree crumbled into ashes before Sara's eyes.
105 words

A story about wanting attention and recognition
“Why isn't anyone noticing me for the things I do?” The voice came from an unexpected place; from me. Since forever, I had been trying my hardest, giving every single itsy bitsy task I do my all, yet I had never received an award for my efforts like others did. I joined every competition I came across, spending my tedious hours perfecting my entry, but I have yet to see a decent result of it. Don't get me wrong, I believe in what I do and it is definitely above decent, but why no recognition? I would have been okay with it if others who did far less than me didn't get it either.
I was tired of working day and night without being praised for my efficiency and excellence. Why was it so difficult for someone to distinguish well-thought out thing from rushed, rudimentary ones? I asked myself this very question every day, but I hadn't come up with an answer to why. It wasn't merely being perceived as mediocre in competitions, no that certainly wasn't the problem. The actual problem was the intangible barrier caused by others' dull perception of me throughout my life.
“Jane!” A friendly voice called, “Dinner's ready!” I had to take a scrumptious break from my all-consuming thoughts now.
“Coming!”
216 words

list ten things about someone who has impacted you significantly (swc or irl)
(message sent to Birdi)
5;8;3;0;/5-3/;7;0;1;12345689;7;000000000;

minimum 250 words about a character who learns they aren't perfect and attempts to improve the
101;6;3;1;/5-3/101-3/;7;0;0;12345689;7;000000100;
Sandra gazed at herself in the mirror, her reflection staring right back at her. She didn't dwell on the imperfection of her outer appearance, oh, she was far past that. The image set before her eyes troubled her for a completely different reason. The colorful blurs of herself she saw in the mirror pierced into her heart and made her realize that… despite her struggles she wasn't perfect. Her grades were good but not great, her friends were seemingly okay but fake, and her free time was bleaker than she thought it was. At that very moment, she decided that she would commence an enormous change. Without averting her eyes from the mirror, she tied her hair into a ponytail with a scrunchie, determined to turn he life in a better direction.
She started studying harder and paying more attention to class. It wasn't merely that, of course. Instead of remaining inside the perimeter of the school curriculum, she decided to go even further and do her own research in certain topics. To reach the moon, she had to shoot for the stars.
She severed ties with her seemingly okay but fake friends and became a solitary student for a while. She still talked to people, but instead of following the crowd all the time, she dominated her own self with her confidence. She soon found actual friends in similar mindsets.
She also decided to make the most of her free time by learning. But she learned about topics that interested her, not ones that were forced onto her. She tried many hobbies and acquired a wide array of skills that were fun to learn. But her underlying motive was that they would surely come in handy later.
288 words

101;8;3;1;/5-3/101-3/;71;0;0;2345689;1;000000100;
take a nap and or relax
this was really what I needed rn lol

8;3;3;1;/5-3/101-3/;71;0;2;2345689;1;000000100;
Lio's picnic, non-story-related tangents, 15 mins
Reyna sat down at a café, absolutely exhausted from her tiring search. Who cared if the had to find the owner of the teddy bear? She had to fortify herself first! She munched on a mango cheesecake and guzzled down a huge glass of strawberry lemonade. A fresh aura of relaxation washed over her like a massive tidal wave. All she wanted to do was sit down and relax, maybe order a donut or two.
As she was staring at the horizon, enjoying her sweet time, she was a friend from school approach her.
“Aw, Anna how are you? Long time no see!”
“Oh, I'm doing fine, what have you been up to lately?”
Reyna explained the reason of here journey. They chatted for a while. talking about insignificant facts like how the weather was. Reyna found that part especially boring. Their conversation soon took a turn and headed in a deeper direction. But their chatter was mostly nonsensical. Reyna shrugged it off. After a while, they said their goodbyes and parted way.
Reyna gazed at her empty strawberry lemonade glass. What remained of the pink-ish liquid rippled in the wind, giving it an appearance resembling a small puddle of water. Reyna could see her reflection in the liquid–smudged, but it was there. She sighed, letting all of her frustrations flow out her with the breath she exhaled. She wanted to stay there forever and relax as her heart wished. But she had to go on. Soon. After she finished eating one last donut. Yeah. That sounded good. She would soon continue her journey. Soon. The word echoed in her head.
271 words

list of achievements I'm proud of:
Getting chosen as co
winning an art competition irl
writing my own novella
my team winning third place in a basketball tournament

describe what makes your character special for 15 mins
Zoey is a girl of many hobbies and interests. And while she may have problems, she tries her best to remain optimistic. She stays true to herself no matter what, even at the cost of the disapproval of others. Zoey recognizes that some people are worth listening to and some simply aren't. She paves her own path in light, all by herself. She is resourceful and competent, but many see her as the opposite. She is perceived as an awkward teenager, but deep inside, she is actually a force of power all on her own. When times are tough, she is ready to stand up for herself and her friends. She is shy, but to an extent. She might not be charismatic or particularly good looking like others, but her vast amount of talents makes up for it. She loves reading, art, streaming her favorite shows, and much more.
If someone asked her, “Hey, why are you so quiet? What are you thinking about?” She would come up with a witty remark such as "I don't know, what are you thinking about?" And yes, that was a question that was asked to her ever so frequently.
She may appear lonely to some, but she definitely isn't. She has the best of friends, true friends, that would back her up whenever she needed it. She is actually more confident inside than she appears, but very few know this side of her. She learns a lot during her journey of self discovery, most importantly, that she has to stay true to her heart.
262 words
7;6;3;2;/5-3/101-3/ 81-1/7-3/;712;0;2;345689;2;010000100;

look at abstract art for minimum 10 mins
okay!

write about a character getting comfortable for 5 mins
I sat on my oh-so-comfy couch while gazing at the crackling fire blazing in the dark fireplace. Seeing pieces of wood disintegrate into ashes somehow comforted me. Wood, a sturdy material, often praised for its resilience, was crumbling into pitch-black ashes not nearly as strong as wood. |Seeing that even the best were susceptible to losing all of their might in a split second made me feel warm inside. I wasn't like this poor chunk of wood. Once it turned into ash, that was it. There was no going back. But when I fell, I could stand up and keep going. This was the immense difference that separated me from the wood. I could adapt. It couldn't. That meant that if I tried hard enough, I could be invincible.
78 words

read something for 10 mins
Read a chapter of The Tyrant's Tomb by Rick Riordan!
6;8;4;3;/5-3/101-3/ 81-1/7-3/6-4/;71269;0;2;3458;9;010001100;

300 word flashback

The moment I stepped foot into that elegant hall and caught a glimpse of the ancient chandelier changing from the ceiling, a sudden burst of emotions overtook my senses. Every intricate carving of the frame reminded me of the past..

Suddenly, I was inside a palace-like structure, far from home. The owners of the palace had invited me here. Ten-year-old me was delighted to hear that such a prestigious family invited me–a simple child– to their house. As a butler greeted my tiny self before the entrance, taking my coat and hat, I felt like royalty. It was a peculiar feeling, you see, for you are made to feel like the owner of a place you do not belong in. Soon, the generous owners of the house walked up to me.
“Welcome, Charles. Now come along.” They motioned for me to follow them and I did as I was instructed. As I walked behind them, I saw how detailed the carpet below my feet was. It was purple, the color of absolute royalty, woven into such patterns that a common person like me couldn't even comprehend. It was as if the threads had intertwined to tell a story of their own; a story that spoke in colors. I was dumbfounded, but I tried not to let the homeowners see. Among the luxuriant components of the house that seemed to radiate confidence, I was utterly embarrassed of the rags I was wearing. My shoes were holed, but still wearable, my shirt was a tad too big for me, courtesy of my older sibling, and my vest… Oh, my vest. It was the only thing I was wearing that was close to nice. I had had it made for this special occasion. If I hadn't been wearing that fine vest, I would have perished from embarrassment.
Now, I was wearing a vest resembling the one of my childhood. Oh how the memories were vivid.
322 words

send an appreciation message to a ST member
message sent to ceebee
2;8;2;4;/5-3/101-3/ 81-1/7-3/6-4/2-2/;712695;0;1;348;5;010001101;

200 words of character magically being transported to another world.\
I woke up, gasping for breath. Was I underwater? How? Bubbles driften in the water, rising to the surface, while small schools of fish encircled me. I held my breath, but I could only continue to do so for so long. I was sinking, the weight of water gradually pushing me down until I hit the bottom.. There was an entire underwater castle in front of me. I couldn't afford staring and admiring its beauty; I was almost out of breath. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to hold on a little longer but it was no use. How had I gotten here anyway? That question wasn't my greatest priority at that moment. After the final breath of oxygen I had left my body, I instinctively took another breath. I half expected for my lungs to fill with water. The inevitable ws so close. But it didn't happen. I could somehow been able to breathe underwater!
I then decided to explore the seashell caste that stood before me. How I had gotten to this bizzare place? I had no idea. But I was in this new world, so I thought that I might as well enjoy it. My underwater smile was one worth seeing.
205 words

positivity flood! Thank 3 swcers for everything they do
messages sent to gee, juli, and cae
9;6;2;5;/5-3/101-3/ 81-1/7-3/6-4/2-2/4-3/9-2/;7126958;0;3;34;8;010001111;

8 mins, plot twist, antagonist is protagonist's family

Gemma, my cousin was meekly reading a newspaper while I was watching TV. As a superhero, my identity had to stay secret, so even though I really wanted to tell her who I was, I held back by tongue. The news consisted of cliché stories, until… I suddenly say myself in disguise, fighting my arch enemy on live television. My enemy had pinned me to the ground. Ugh. They had captured my most helpless moment on TV. I flinched and flailed, but that was all the TV seemed to show. It didn't show me save the day like I always do. At that moment, my eyes darted to Gemma. She was wearing an emerald necklace, identical to the one… oh no. SHE WAS MY ARCH ENEMY. How? I asked myself. She had always been nice and friendly, maybe too friendly. In hindsight, I realized how naíve I was. How could I have let that happen? More importantly, HOW COULD SHE? HOW COULD SHE HURT ME? She was a traitor. A traitor. A traitor. A traitor. The statement echoed in my head as a faint but predominant voice. She was the villain, and I was the hero who couldn't see what was going on right under my nose.
207 words

eat or drink something for 5 mins
okay!

incorporate elements of non-fi, real-fi, or hi-fi, 5 mins
A few months ago, I woke up, and aura of exhilaration surrounding me. I was nervous too, of course, but my excitement was greater. That day, I was headed to a basketball match, one that would determine out place in the tournament. I slung my sports bag on my shoulder and and went to school, leaving my normal backpack behind, because I knew that I wouldn't need it.

A blaring sound alerted all of the players that the match had come to an end. A cheer erupted from the crowd, but louder than that of the crowd was the cheer coming from my team. We yelled in joy and jumped up and down celebrating our victory. My smile reached my ears. We had won, scoring only one more basket than the opposite team. WE HAD WON THIRD PLACE!!
138 words

do something creative for 15 mins
worked on my story outside of scratch!

prompt from cabin opposite to mine, that'd be sci-fi, 10 mins
3;6;1;6;/5-3/101-3/ 81-1/7-3/6-4/2-2/4-3/9-2/1-2/3-1/;712695834;0;1;;4;010101111;
“I can feel them staring.” - Cynthialz
I can feel them staring. I can feel their eyes watching me, their pupils following every move I make. The crowd had dominated the hallway, leaning casually against lockers. Watching me. Was it my red hair, my freckles, perhaps? I sure did look different from the rest of them. But why was that a bad thing? People don't always make sense, my mother had told me, but you have to play along their rules. But how was I supposed to play along their rules? Should I change my appearance? It isn't that bad. I grasped the straps of my backpack tighter and lowered my gaze as the stares continued. I had already changed how I looked twice before, and the results weren't very bright. I just made myself look like a fool in front of everyone. They never liked me anyway. Not with different clothes, different styles, different hair, different shoes, different attitude, different self, never. They never liked me. I was greatly distraught by this all pervading feeling of hopelessness. Some little detail about me wasn't the reason I was not liked. It was me, my old enemy. I was my own enemy, not someone else. The blame was mine alone.
202 words

500 WORD CLIFFHANGER
We stood in front of the evil villains' lair, ready to bust open the door and confront them. What we had endured to reach this place, oh, words weren't enough. We had gone through tedious trials that seemed to last forever. We had slayed a majestic dragon, imprisoned the kingdom's cruel prince by making friend with the knights guarding the prince. We had completed many quests given by a wise magician, followed every single step to make a healing potion to heal to heal our injured friend who had sacrificed himself for the cause of protecting us. After getting him back on his feet, we had climbed the unclimbable mountain, and travelled to the land beyond the clouds. The kind locals who lived among the clouds had helped us on our journey, providing us with food and supplies, only to turn their backs on us later. After that whole ordeal, a raincloud about the size of our group had followed us everywhere we went, but even that couldn't diminish our morale. Then we had to climb down the unclimbable mountain. We managed to do so, but the journey left our feet sore and our determination weak. But we had to go on. We had tackled wild beasts with our bare hands, all the while some us sneaked around and built a bridge to cross the uncrossable stream. The churning water below was home to vicious crocodiles, but we had managed to cross the narrow bridge without falling.
Now, having broken in to the villains' fortress, we were ready for battle. Our swords were slung on our backs, and our stances were ones of sheer confidence. The door of the villains' room loomed before us, yet is was locked. One of us had come extra prepared, and picked the lock with a bobby pin. As the enormous door opened with an unsettling creak, we knew that there was no turning back. We heard shrieks and whimpers from the back of the room, but an opaque darkness obscured it all. Out of the shadows, a tall figure emerged, about the size of a fully grown pine tree. That explained the abnormally tall ceiling. Heavy footstep sounds came from its direction, ones that I recognized ever so quickly. I was haunted with the realization that that was a… friend. He had been our guide. How could he have been the villain all along?
With a snarl, the creature took another step forward, revealing its crooked nose and hunched figure. With one last step, the identity of the mysterious entity was revealed. We gasped.
“How could you?”
“I thought you were our friend.”
“You lied!”
“How could you lie to us?!”
“We helped you, remember?”
“Did you forget us? Do you have amnesia or something?”
“We saved you!”
“And you hurt us in return?”
“You guided us along our quests, you gave us them!”
“The quests were pretty impossible, when you think about it.”
“You trickster!”
“We respected you and befriended you!”
“You're a liar. A traitor. Expect us to return the favor one day. When you least expect it.”

“Please do” The creature grumbled.
521 words


DONE! 6/9 success! Neutral ending!
PATHS TAKEN: 5-3, 101-3, 81-1, 7-3, 6-4, 2-2, 4-3, 9-2, 1-2, 3-1 | SABOTAGE RESULTS: 7- F, 1- S;2- F, 6- S;9- F, 5- S;8- S;3- S;4- S | ENDING: neutral

total:2,822 words

1997 words
Sorry if you see a typo or error, I was really in a rush
Thank you notes

Fantasy cabin:
Cae: Caeee you’re a great leader and I really enjoyed working with you this session. You are so creative and your ideas absolutely amazing. I’m glad I co-led alongside you this session, it was an awesome experience to be in a TOH THEMED CABINNNN!!! I love the themes you came up with and you are an INCREDIBLY COOL person to work with.
Juli: Ahh, Juli, I’m glad we met this session! You’re super fun to be with and are super-duper nice! I also really appreciate you dedication as a fellow co-leader! To add, you’re very artistic and inspiring! Thank you for being a wonderful friend during my first time as co!
Lisa: First of all, can I say that the fantasy icons are adorable? You’re such a good artist and an overall brilliant person! The motivational sparkles you gave out were a pretty awesome! Also, kudos to you for being a fellow Conan Gray fan!!!

Some fantasy campers:
Twi: Your enthusiasm was such a motivation for the cabin and you’ve been really active! Your general positivity and dedication is truly remarkable! You have helped the cabin out so much and thank you for that!
Katty: The amount of words you wrote is just outstanding aasdfghjkl You’re an amazing writer, and all I have to say is KEEP ON WRITING!!!
Jori: Oh wow Jori, your poems are awe-inspiring. The way you use words is just so eloquent and graceful… I’m glad I got to know you this session!
Ducci: Your taste in profile pictures is pog. You have such a cool personality and you are pog in general.
Aqua: Aquaaa!! Our local spy!! I had tons of fun contemplating whether you were a sus spy or not hehe. You are a wonderful person and never forget that ahah!
Kanika: Listening to your poems/rap songs promoting fantasy supremacy was an absolute delight haha! Your motivation stuff was just *chef’s kiss*
Wats: Even though you left, you were a cool person to have around
Electric: Your musical ingenious is pog ahah! Now our cabin has its own song thanks to you!
Solrii: As a first time camper, you did a great job! You were really nice and amazing and all! YOU ARE DOING A GOOD JOB! See what I did there?
Izzy/Hannah: The way you came to cabin wars last minute and wrote a ton of words really wowed me! I hope you continue to write in the future!
To all of the fantasy campers I didn’t list: You were all fantastic people and thank you for making fantasy coven what it is now. I may not have gotten to know you that well but you are awesome! *drops mic*

(co)hosts and daily team:
Birdi: The amount of effort you put into SWC is just stunning. Hosting + leading + being in the daily team must be extremely difficult, but with your dedication and efficiency (and epicness) you pull it off very well. You’re super kind and helpful and awesome B) Thank you for working so hard to make everyone’s SWC experience fantastic!!!!
Robin: Thank you for being such an amazing host, leader, daily team member, and judge this session!! You dedicated so much time and effort to make SWC the wonderful place it is, and I’m extremely grateful for that!
Sawyer: WOWOW Sawyer! The workshops this session were so fun that I actually did all the weeklies XD This is a big achievement for me lol. Thank you for being a legendary co-host, workshop organizer, daily team member and more! You continue to amaze me with your talent and dedication :0
Zai: Answering your weird questions were a ton of fun, even though I’m still not quite sure what they were for haha. Here, have some lasagna! Also, as a member of the daily team, your work had a huge impact on SWC, or should I say SUSWC?!
Bakie: Bakieeee!!! Thank you for all the hard work you put into SWC and can I just say that your art looks awesome? I really enjoyed our conversations about fandoms and books and a bunch of other stuff! You’re a spectacular person and I hope to talk with you more in the future!
Lio: Ah, Lio, you’re an awesome person > Although we didn’t interact that much, the effort you put into your cabin really shows. I can’t believe I'm saying this as a Fantasian but Script has been a very cool new cabin, but you're even cooler!!
Zura: I really admire your writing and as a SWC veteran I recognize all of the time and effort you have put into camp. I am at a loss of words.

(co)leaders {tbh the order is chaotically random}:
Gee: Aaaaa, Gee, I will always remember our lengthy conversations and mysterious rps! It was really fun getting to know you! You’re very energetic and imaginative, and just a great person to be around in general. ;DD
Soki: As my previous leader, I look up to you and admire your leadership skills and *cough* kinda chaotic personality :smirk: Thank you for being a stellar friend and making my session a blast! /gen
Dawn: When I found out that you were a kotlc fan my first reaction was: YES. Also, that time you followed the ‘you’ studio gave me a mini heart attack lol the memory stll sticks with me. You’re super dedicated and just an awesome person overall! I hope to get to know you better in the future!
Luna: Oh wow Luna you’re just so enthusiastic and energetic and amazing!! We’re in a lot of the same fandoms and I really enjoyed our rambles about TOH and Arcane! And yasss, you made neon horror a realityyyy >
Sophie: You have awesome ideas and your username just resonates with me so much XD It’s just really nice to know someone who likes similar stuff! I’m glad I got to know you this session!!!
Moonlit: Ahah Moonlit you’ve been pretty awesome this session and I’m glad I got to know you! You’re super active and dedicated and help out with point adding all the time, and you’re an overall kind and helpful person aasdfgh From your absolutely mind-blowing leader app I knew that you would be a great person and I was right!
Leopard: Can I just say that the horror pfps look really cool?? You’re a fantastic person and I hope you have fun orienteering because that’s the last thing we talked about XD
Kit: You have a great taste in fandoms ;D We didn’t really interact this session, but I remember our lengthy conversations about the amazingness of fandoms from last session. You’re so good at motivating your campers and you have a friendly personality! /gen
Moss: You’re such an amazing leader, Moss! From the moment I saw your leader app, I knew that you would be super-duper dedicated and awesome! Congrats on leading your cabin to victory!!! Okay so side note, I’m writing this on the 29th, but it’s pretty obvious, sooooo… We didn’t really interact much but I know for sure that you are a wonderful person!!
Mayhem: yay, my fellow demigod friend! We were in the same cabin in my first session and making such good friends like you made it memorable and I wanted to join again. So, in a way, you’re one of the reasons I’m still doing SWC today, and thank you for that!!
Piper: Pipeeeerr!! Working at your newspaper as a book reviewer was really fun!! It’s sad that it didn’t quite work out buuuut I’m glad you joined SWC and became a co!! You’re such a cool person!
Vi: The themes you come up with for your cabins just blows my mind with their epicness. You’re so mature and chaotic at the same time XD But really, you’re super duper original and innovative and you have a good taste in fandoms ;D
Sandy: With your recommendation I discovered a new band so WOoooHOOOoo!! And also, thanks to you, I now like history more than I used to so another wooohoo for that too! With all seriousness, you’re an amazing person and I am in absolute awe of your writing
Aleia: Your art is so cute and you’re really active and cool. I didn’t get to know you that well, but I can see that you’re a nice person and your dedication to SWC really shows =^-^= (sEe WhAt I dId ThErE??)
Addie: Non-fi was very interesting this session, in a good way of course, thanks to your awesome leadership (and maybe humor) . Also, may I ask what :cowboy: means????? Anyway, you are an amazing leader!
Jess: I didn’t really get to know you but you seem like a cool person.
Goose: I love how you’re like, cool and energetic at the same time. You’re super dedicated and are basically the mascot of hi-fi at this point, I think. Keep up your amazing personality!!
Amy: You weren’t really active this session but I know about your coolness from last time B) PLEASE DON’T EAT ME.
Lily: I know you are really busy and we haven’t interacted this session but I know from our previous chats that you are a wonderful person.
Re: As a co-leader of myth, you have been really dedicated and enthusiastic and just a great personality overall!!
Mech: #Stanmech. We haven’t really interacted this session but your writing is amazinggg >
Sun: We didn’t talk that much but all I can say is that you have great taste in books heh! Your writing is also bedazzling but you probably already know that :0
Star: I didn’t really get to know you but seem like a nice person!
Viv: We didn’t really interact but you seem cool!
Arli: Arli!! You’re so calm and responsible and cheerful at the same time!! You’re also so mature and cool, put simply awesome B)
Cami: We didn’t really talk that much but you just seem so dedicated and enthusiastic in a sweet way!
Sein: I didn’t get to know you that much but the poetry pfps you made are like, basically perfect. I hope to get to know you better in the future.
Gen: We didn’t interact much but you have a cool vibe /gen
Kenna: Your critique of my leader app has helped me out so much asdfghjkl YOU ARE SUCH A POG PERSONNN
Sai: As one of my cos last session in sci-fi, I know that you’re really awesome! We didn’t interact much but I hope to talk to you in the future!
Jia: We didn’t interact much this session but you seem nice and I hope to get to know you in the future.
Katie: I know you were a little busy this session and we haven’t talked but you seem like a cool person!
Fi: I didn’t really get to know you, but as a long time SWC-er and a writing competition judge you seem like a cool person!
Wari: Wari!!! Since I saw your creative leader app, I knew you were going to be an awesome leader! You're really active and helpful and have an amazing personality! Also, ALL HAIL THE DUCK DEITY!!!
Faer: As someone who has so many responsibilities in SWC, I really admire your dedication and hard work. You’re a fantastic leader and I appreciate how much effort you put into SWC!
Pendragon: We haven’t gotten to know each other but you seem like a cool person! The mystery profile pics are also pretty amazing!
Luka: You’re such cool and dedicated leader!! Dystopian had a lovely theme this session and you have been an amazing leader! I hope to get to know you better in the future!
Hop/ Aspen: We didn’t interact much but I’ve read your poems and can I just say that they’re BREATHTAKING? You seem like a very cool person B)
Fae: I didn’t really get to know you but the script pfps you made look pretty cool and you seem like a fantastic person!
Hope: We didn’t interact much but you seem like a friendly person.
Willow: I didn’t get the chance to get to know you very well but you seem like a cool person!

Dear reader (haha reference), DO NOT READ THIS ! I DO NOT WANT TO BE THE CAUSE OF YOUR D3PRESSI0N !

The Thrill of Losing


The thrill of losing,
Is one we often overlook.
It starts with a burst of rage,
Ends with us crawling back into our nooks.

We are crushed under the weight
Of an eternally crippling freight.
Surely we cannot be that defective,
In the arts our lives consist of.
Yet from our minds, malaise-like sparks arise.
What if the arts consist of our lives?

An inflated ego built on lies
Is no more than an abominable failure in disguise.
We ponder, contemplating if our ego even thrived
In the first place.
That, most definitely, was not the case.

The profound Pool of Hindsight,
Nimbly ties a noose around our throats,
Enticingly invites us to take a dive
Into the depths of its murky waters,
Which were, disturbingly, home to no boat.
(We should have acknowledged the signs
And eluded the danger that loomed afloat.)

In the depths of despair, we are.
The waters of the pool mirror our puny reflections.
(No use for objections.)
Showing warped projections
Of the emotional rollercoaster we were shoved into.
We realize that we were in sheer indifference
To what we now know is the truth.

Heaps of coins worth nothing are worth nothing; not a dime,
The truth can neither be created nor destroyed;
Only transferred, through the likes of time.
(Isn’t the truth also a kind of energy?)

The extent to which we pour our hearts,
Into pieces of us we deem as art,
Cease to impress those who are bound
To dictate our fate.
(Isn’t it astounding how our cries resound?)

The waters of hindsight bestow before our eyes,
A faraway time before our demise.
With hopes higher than the skies,
We see ourselves giddy with delight.

“We were never good at anything,” we say in unison,
“But this we ought to excel at. This is us.”
(Even our mild confidence provided no veritable anchor to the truth.)

Our hearts race, our eyes dart from left to right.
An abundance of exuberant pupils grows in size.
Processing.
We proceed to pay no heed to the fact that our chances are slim,
Suddenly, the flecks of light in our eyes dim.
(We shall never trim the rim of our intricately woven hopes ever again.)

The realization gradually dawns upon us all.
Our optimistic delusions were based on our scrawls on the wall,
Made within the confines of an absent reality.

First, we deflect the blame.
“They don’t know!”
Ere long, we ourselves take a step into the flames.
“We don’t know.”

And with that, we retreat into our cozy little nooks to cool down.
To solace our sulks, we award our frantic selves with a paper crown.
It soothes our woes just enough to keep us alive,
Until the next season of thrilling losses arrives.


Note: It was an absolute delight writing this wonderful piece! /sarc
To be honest, it was not. But it was… refreshing. I derived it from my own experience, but more importantly, it’s something not solely I have gone through. That's why I refer to myself and everyone else who feels this way as ‘we’.

Here, the constant mention of nooks serves to illustrate the safe places we hide in our times of anguish.

The eternally crippling freight is the excruciating thought that you are not good enough in the one dream you think you are able to pursue. When you dedicate your life to something and it fails miserably, your worldview plummets in the worst possible way.

“An inflated ego built on lies…” This is what an oblivious spectator would think. They’d say, “oh, you weren’t that good anyway, you just have a huge ego!” This can be especially hurtful when you already have a crippling self-esteem. People just assume that you’re so full of yourself when you only believe in that one little thing you made, and it turns out to be a failure.

“We ponder, contemplating if our ego even thrived in the first place. That most definitely was not the case.” Again, you never were arrogant; you just chose to believe in one of your creations instead of believing in yourself, and no one recognizes your work. There goes a lifetime of effort.
The pool of hindsight is a metaphorical body of water where people can view their past mistakes and suffer. You cannot fix anything; you only have the capability to watch your flaws on repeat. The pool metaphorically “ties a noose around your throat” and pulls you into its waters. All you can do is watch yourself on rewind and endure.

No boats dock around the shores of this body of water, because no one comes here willingly. The gloomy pool lures them in, and with no boat, the victims have no way to escape.

“(We should have acknowledged the signs and eluded the danger.)” The signs are there, yet you prefer apathy over concern. The pull of The Pool of Hindsight is too strong.

“In the depths of despair, we are.” This is a reference to Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. When her life is falling apart, Anne depicts herself as ‘in the depths of despair’, a place she cannot easily get out of.

The pool projects images of times before you fell into the ‘depths of despair.’ You are euphoric and unaware of the troubles the future will bring.
“Heaps of dimes worth nothing are worth nothing; not a dime,” You cannot change the truth. Your failure is a fact now. This is an obscure reference to one of my favorite quotes of all time, “You cannot change the truth, no matter how much you dislike it.” It’s from the original Teen Titans (2003), NOT the goofy knockoff. I’m getting off-topic, aren’t I?

“The truth can neither be created nor destroyed; only transferred, through the likes of time.” This is about the law of conservation of energy. (Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only transferred.) You realize the similarity of energy and truth, how both cannot be created out of anywhere or destroyed. The truth, however, can change through time.

“The extent to which we pour our hearts, into pieces of us we deem as art, cease to impress those who are bound to dictate our fate.” It’s the worst feeling ever, feeling like your work is not being praised as it should. You feel selfish. And wrong. In a world where confidence is narcissism and doubt is hatred, you do not know how to feel. You feel contempt towards those who don’t recognize you but at the same time, you feel it towards yourself for not being good enough. There’s a quote about this by Sigmund Freud. “If you point a finger at someone, three fingers are pointing back at you.”
“But this we ought to excel at. This is us.” Another reminder of how attached you are to the one thing you are proud of. You openly state that you are dreadfully bad at everything else, but if there’s one thing you can do, it’s this.

“(Even our mild confidence provided no veritable anchor to the truth.)” The remarks in parentheses are made in The Pool of Hindsight. Most are evidently grim and try to discourage the ‘self’ you see.

“Processing.” You’re processing something that will determine your treasured future.

“Suddenly, the flecks of light in our eyes dim.” You realize that you dedicated yourself for a whole lot of nothing.

“(We shall never trim the rim of our intricately woven hopes ever again.)” Oh, this. This may be the only inspirational line in the whole poem. Here, you try to assure yourself that your ‘intricately woven hopes’ (aka the dreams and plans about the future you spent so much time perfecting) should never diminish into lesser fantasies.

“Our optimistic delusions were based on our scrawls on the wall, made within the confines of an absent reality.” Here, you realize that all of your dreams were similar to child-like scribbles on a wall, secluded from the all-pervading reality that they are not likely, or in better words, impossible.
“First we deflect the blame. “They don’t know!”” Your first reactions are denial and deflection, you are not willing to add another mound of ‘detrimental’ freight onto your shoulders, one that constantly whispers into your ear that it’s YOUR FAULT.

“Ere long, we ourselves take a step into the flames. “We don’t know.”” That annoying little voice, which is your own, finally convinces you that you are to take the blame for your own failure. There’s no arguing with that, right?

“And with that, we retreat into our cozy little nooks to cool down.” To dampen your mood, you crawl into your safe space keeping your misery to yourself.

“To solace our sulks, we award our frantic selves with a paper crown.” You want to reassure yourself that you are good at what you think you are good at, even when others decide otherwise. You console yourself with a makeshift gift. You think it’ll cure your hysteria, but it only makes it worse.

“It soothes our woes just enough to keep us alive until the next season of thrilling losses arrives.”
I genuinely wanted to end this in a hopeful way, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. This is the sad reality. You pamper yourself just enough to keep going, only to be let down again.

*drops mic and scurries off stage*

ty zai, lax and serrie for critiquing

critique for lax
you can find the original piece here
First of all, I really loved the concept! The apocalyptic setting worked amazingly well with the flower daily

All homes above land destroyed completely, a tear in the permanent clouds, and dozens, if not hundreds, dead. And while some were innocent civilians, most were not. Most were fellow rebels, hurtling with passion into the crossfire and the aftermath, and not making it out.

This is a very minor detail, bu it seems like there's an unnecessary repetition here. I understand that you may have been going for a dramatic effect with the ‘most were not’, but it would be better to avoid repetition altogether and combine the sentences. Haha I sound so much like Grammarly.

All homes above land destroyed completely, a tear in the permanent clouds, and dozens, if not hundreds, dead. And while some were innocent civilians, most were fellow rebels; hurtling with passion into the crossfire and the aftermath, and not making it out.

Now, this is merely a suggestion. In the first paragraph, you described the overall atmosphere and abruptly jumped to a scene with the main characters. The moment you chose for that transition is perfect, but it would be even better if there was a sharp, sensory detail that sucked us into that moment! For instance, the paragraph could start with the Director's gasps for breath as they have trouble breaking while Argloth clasps their hand and then perhaps hauls them up. You could open the paragraph by unexpectedly evoking any other sense as well!

The way you incorporated the meaning of flowers for the daily was truly outstanding. I like how the moment was made immortal through a somber speech The ambiguous ending was nice too! It was left on a high note that is open for interpretation…

Overall, this was a great story and I'm glad I got to read it. And thank you for letting me critique it! Sorry for the late reply. I am currently in a rush and have two hectic weeks ahead of me :'D


250 words excluding quotes

1st weekly

Lastly, let's bring together everything you've learned from these activities into one final story!

Before starting, consider the effects of time travel and how it could affect the future. Then, going off of one of the timelines you've plotted (either linear or non-linear, it's your choice!) and the butterfly effect activity, write a grand story with time travel elements incorporated into it Make sure to check for plot holes and be careful to stay within the boundaries set by the mechanics of time travel in your world! You must write a minimum of 750 words.

2nd weekly

Whether it be reading, watching a movie or TV show, or listening to music, consuming a form of art is a great way to fuel creativity. If we don't consume art on a regular basis, our creativity will dull our creativity, which will, in turn, cause our writing to suffer. Consuming creative works by others gives you the spark of inspiration you need to write.

Activity
Take a moment to read/view/listen to any medium of art you wish. This could be:
-watching a movie or show
-reading a book, even if it's just a few chapters
-listening to a song
-admiring a visual/piece of artwork

Whatever you decide to do, focus on it to the fullest of your abilities and avoid distractions to absorb every detail. After you've done that, write 100 words of reflection!

Here's an example of me reflecting on Little League by Conan Gray:

I was immediately hit with a wave of bittersweet nostalgia from the opening of the song. Its lyrics are about growing out of the person you used to be, which is something that I think everyone, including me, can relate to. The way the first verse is slow, soft and predictable makes me think about how I feel like I'm losing something as I get older. In contrast, the lyrics of the first verse are packed with the reminiscence of bright childhood memories. When it gets to the chorus, the singer lets all of his emotions free with an impactful burst that really made me feel the same nostalgia and longing he does. The rhythm imitates fast heartbeats, making me remember the thrill of being younger…

PACING

When writing thrillers, building suspense and tension keeps readers guessing about what will happen and creates feelings of anticipation and excitement as the story unfolds. Action scenes can be compelling, but first, the writer must know how to both build up the impending danger and keep the reader’s mind invested from the first chapter to the last. You want to grab your audience’s attention—and to keep it as well.

A compelling thriller needs three things: strong characters, relatable stakes, and strategic pacing. While all three are necessary, perhaps the hardest to master is pacing. Good stories have heightened expectations, tension, and are fast-paced. In all books, you need to keep the reader turning pages, but especially so in a suspense novel. The best way to do that is by controlling the pace—both to speed up and slow down the story—to achieve maximum excitement for the reader.

Introducing your central conflict—also known as the “dramatic question”—earlier on when novel writing can instantly ignite readers’ curiosity. You should plant a big question in the reader's head from the beginning to keep them on the edges of their seats for the entire story.

A crucial aspect of the thriller/suspense genre is the story’s pacing, which is the speed at which the narrative progresses for the reader. It may seem like an action-filled thriller should move at a fast pace, but the trick is balancing different paces throughout the novel. A story suffering from slow pacing and too little action will bore the reader and risk becoming bogged down in unnecessary details. Too much action or interest will wear a reader down and overwhelm them with activity, and can also leave readers feeling lost and confused. Finding the right balance is critical when writing suspense novels. The goal is to keep the reader moving forward without becoming overwhelmed or lost.

Pacing in writing is essential to keeping readers engaged.
You have to know what to include and leave out.

Rising action is all about the build-up of tension and conflict, leading up to the climax of the story. This is when the reader should be on the edge of their seat, eagerly turning the pages to find out what happens next.

In contrast, falling action is the story’s resolution, when all the loose ends are tied up, and the conflict is resolved.

Activity

For this activity, take a pre-existing story and outline the next chapter with 4 main plot points.
Event #1 should introduce a question in the reader's head. The story should open with a rising action that plunges the reader into your world.
Event #2 should offer some explanation to what happened in event #1 and build up to the final climax with slow pacing.
Event #3 is the big climax. This is a moment of action that the story has been building up to.
Event #4 should provide the reader with a resolution. Your story should end with a falling action that answers the big question introduced in the beginning.

Your outline should be at least 150 words!

Daily 6/03/2023

This is the paragraph i used from my biology textbook. The words i used are in bold.

During active transport cell uses energy from respiration to take up substances rather like a pump uses energy to move a liquid from one place to another. In fact, biologists speak of the cell pumping lons or molecules i or out The pumps are large protein molecules located in the cell membrane and they are driven by the breakdown of ATP An example of a place where this happens is in the human small intestine, where some glucose in the gut is absorbed into the cells lining the intestine by active transport. The roots of plants also take up certain mineral ions in this way. Cells use active transport centrands to control the uptake of many substances.

Actively transporting joy, sadness, etc. as if they are minerals and ions
Through my veins to keep me alive.
I require energy to keep feeling; to keep running towards the light.
I take a deep breath in.
Respiration has always been my way of fixating on relaxation.
Biologists have yet to discover the mechanism pumping unreadable emotions into me.
Move out of the way, I need to locate the source of this all.
Tons of ATP would not supply me with the energy I need to feel what I feel.
So, I am left as a small see-through human driven by invisibility.
I absorbed my surroundings like always, yet I was not able to extract any meaning.
The lining of reality?
Unclear.
The roots of my being?
Unclear as the murky waters that withhold what is called information.
The space I take up in the universe haunts me.
I could almost say my substance is insignificant.


156 words.

The sky is red.
The cliff is red.
So is the dirt the tip of my foot sinks into.
I have no strength to tread ahead.
My foot foolishly attempts to grip the ground.
But the red pebbles scatter away.
My arms dangle limply below,
I frantically wriggle them to steady myself, though,
Balance cannot mend my slim chances to survive against the cruel wind.
My back is arched, as if preparing for a somersault
In the air, with a landing that's bound to be fatal.
I'd pierce through the dry air as I tumbled down into the chasm.
The wind is cruel to me and solely me.
I can feel its sly tendrils agree
As they trace my face and threaten to erase me from—
On the edge of a cliff, I am.
The wind wraps an arm around my waist
In mid air.
I'm on the verge of falling.

Thank you notes

Slaystery I mean Mystery campers
Clem, Aurelia, Sienna, Nikki, Kar, Gen, Luna, Coffee, Hayden, Hermione, Star, SarahHEW, Aleyn, Kora, Icy, Mila, Harley, Arla Katie Cat, Bella

First of all, I'd like to thank each and every one of you brilliant Cipher & Story Enthusiasts™ for bringing the organization to life. Although I had a very hectic month (basketball games got delayed, midterms started earlier than expected, ahahaha I should be studying chemistry right now), I wasn't as active as I would have liked to be. It's your dedication as campers that kept this cabin running. It was incredibly fun getting to know you all and speak in our own little language in our little secret society hehe I had an amazing time this month, and I hope you have as well! Love you all <3333 Tllwybv zmw pvvk lm dirgrmt!



Em:
I was instantly blown away by your app, and knew that you were going to be a fantastic co-leader!! I loved the upbeat and enthusiastic energies you brought to the cabin. It was an absolute blast leading with you! The banners and cabin guide also looked stunning <3 I appreciate you stepping in for me and everything you do for the cabin in general, and hope that we continue to be friends after the session ends



Paige:
Paigeee! My chaotic, potato-loving friend! You're super fun to talk to and work with I had the best the best time rambling on and on with you about The Owl House and Model UN and a bunch of other fun stuff. Your dedication to the cabin was truly awesome and you did a wonderful job motivating everyone! The trailer you made was also amazingly well-done. Thank you so much for all you did this session! I hope to talk to you more in the future <3





Daily Team
Starr, Luna, Alia, Soki, Moss, Lio

I am proud to be part of the ibex-loving Daily Team crew yo ho ho arrr ( I regret attempting pirate speak already xD) It was super fun writing dailies and weeklies and working with the absolutely amazing workshop creators. Thank you all for being amazing <33 Even though it was a bit stressful, I wouldn't change a thing.



Hosts
Birdi, Robin, Sun, Starr, Luna

Thank you for all of the effort you put into SWC. It wouldn't be what it is today without your dedication and hard work. I cannot properly put into words the impact you have had on SWC and on me.

I'm aware that this was incredibly rushed aldhakdjakdh I am so sorry I have so much on my plate now :'D I would have wanted to write everyone individual thank you notes but I just don't have the time or energy to do so. Just know that you're awesome! <3