The following piece was composed as part of a 9 th grade English assignment that asked students to add a chapter to the novel Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Samantha Kollock '29 It rained a new type of rain that day. Not the light rain fall that painted the sidewalks with small specks, but instead heavy rain poured from the sky. On the weekly stroll home from church today, it never seemed so lonely. As I reached out to catch rain drops in my hand, there was al

Eshaan Nandy '29 The following piece was composed as part of a 9 th grade English assignment that asked students to add a chapter to the novel Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Jaja opened his eyes, gazing around the dark room. It was a small room– smaller than the bathroom at Papa’s house. The small twin bed under him sat right next to a toilet in the corner. A shaft of moonlight filtered through the bars high up on the wall, acting as a window. Specks of dust f

Daniel Dashko '28   The room was silent. I wasn’t ready to step in. I feared facing the truth of this moment and seeing someone so close to death. Suddenly, all of the memories came rushing back. Sid has been my friend ever since I first started volunteering at the Hill more than a year ago. Every day I would arrive around 9:00 and I would see him eating breakfast or watching TV. It gave me a sense of reliability, seeing him there every time. After I finished delivering all o

Maya Salerno '27 1  The room is cold and stale, sending a chill down my spine. I look forward to see a little girl laying in bed. The fluffy white sheets eating her little body up. As I move closer, I notice that her skin is pale, almost white. Her soft, youthful skin blends in with the white sheets, I release, she is lifeless. Her hands lay across her chest, in an unnatural sleeping position. As I move closer I smell medicine, and the burning candles that rest in the corner.

Christian Jackson '26 The sound of glass shattering makes me wince. It was loud enough for me to hear all the way from my car. My parents must have miscalculated the windows being unlocked. I wish they had taken it as a sign to forfeit and come back to the car; the window is now another complication. Rain begins to patter on my windshield, softly as I stare at the suburban home in front of me. I roll up my back windows, I had rolled them down earlier to bring in some cool air

Ellie Falco '29 . . . She jumped . . . Looking out her window the girl was met with a night sky she had seen thousands of times, but...

Kevin Knebel '26 Every year, as the snow fell, we would construct castles. Well, snow castles, or snow forts depending on who you ask,...

Luke Leoni '29                                                                                        Scotland 560 A.D-There lurked a...

Skylar Saldutti '26 My puppy… now a puppy with lighter fur between her tired eyes. My puppy that still runs for frisbees just at a slower...

Brynn Sweeney '26 I woke up to my alarm clock, which sent a blaring noise through my skull: 6:45 a.m. on the dot. Though I could’ve sworn...

Vincent Zhou '26 Winston sat in the Chestnut Tree Café, his fingers curled around a glass of Victory Gin, the sharp tang burning its way down his throat. The telescreen hummed in the background, churning out reports of victory and production, the voice as steady and rhythmic as the ticking of a clock. The chessboard lay before him, the pieces arranged in mid-play, though he had forgotten whose move it was. It was nearing sunset, with a dullish yellow ray of sunlight slanting

Michaila Matthews '26 The day started, and before her feet even touched the ground, she’d noticed her own shadow lingering behind her....

Michaila Matthews 26' A shrill whistle snapped Ashtyn out of his trance. The illuminated phone rested on his side table. A name displayed...

Michaila Matthews 26' Rain seemed to be a solace. Heaps of rain pelted the window above the sink. I leaned on the sleek marble counter....

Zoe Hellman 25' It’s difficult for me to believe I've been labeled as a madman. The ones who lock me in here like cattle, feigning pity...

By Libby Brewer '25 The mid afternoon air was cooler than normal. Late March had been unusually cool, relatively speaking, it was just...